Health officials are offering masturbation and sex guidelines after Ebola was found in the semen of men who had recovered from the deadly virus.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is advising men who have recovered from Ebola to abstain from sexual intercourse for at least three months to avoid the possibility of passing the virus.
The warning was issued on its website after it emerged that ‘three men who had recovered were reported to shed live virus in semen 40 days, 61 days and 82 days after onset of symptoms, respectively’.
In a statement WHO said: ‘Because of the potential to transmit the virus sexually during this time, they should maintain good personal hygiene after masturbation, and either abstain from sex (including oral sex) for three months after onset of symptoms, or use condoms if abstinence is not possible.
‘Although the scientific evidence is limited, it is clear that semen is a potential source of infection and could therefore cause transmission of the virus through delivery of the infectious virus on a mucosal surface.’
