One hundred and twenty suspected Ebola cases investigated at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) in Accra came out negative.

The Ministry of Health, in a release issued on Saturday, said the cases were received from the various health facilities across the country and that showed how vigilant and ready the health facilities were to fight the growth of the virus.

It expressed concern about how rigorous the Ebola virus was and wished to remind the public of the non-existence of vaccines for the virus and urged that all must be conscious of it.

The release said though there was no vaccine, Ebola could be prevented and suggested the need for public education.

The key message of the education should be the avoidance of direct contact with body fluids of a person suffering from the Ebola virus, while protective materials like gloves, goggles and masks must be used when handling an Ebola patient, it said.

In addition, one must disinfect the beddings and clothing of an infected person with disinfectants and also take persons suspected of having the virus to the nearest health unit without delay.

The release said it was, therefore, significant to note that an infected person had the following symptoms; sudden onset of fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.

This is often followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and bleeding which happens both internally and externally.

It said blood spots in the eyes, blood in the vomitus, sputum, urine or stool, bleeding from the nose and other body openings were included.

The Ebola virus is commonly spread through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected or dead animals.

Likewise, direct physical contact with body fluids of infected persons like blood, saliva, stool, vomits, urine, and soiled linen can be a contributing factor.

According to the release, burial ceremonies where mourners had direct contact with the body of the deceased person also played a role in the transmission of Ebola.