Epidemiologist conducting a diagnostic test for the presence of Ebola virus. Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe and often fatal disease with symptoms including fever, fatigue, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhoea and internal bleeding. It is spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. There is no cure for the disease, but three quarters of patients can recover if provided with sufficient medical support. The 2014 outbreak in Western Africa is the largest ever recorded.