Theresa*, seen here with the youngest of her four children, survived the recent Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo.
"It was my mother-in-law who was the first to be infected," says mum-of-four Theresa.
"After her death I also felt sick. I felt cold, I started vomiting and had diarrhoea. I was feeling very, very bad. I don't know even how to explain it. I was feeling very bad and so weak."
A virus takes hold
Right now, we’re all learning how scary it can be to live in the shadow of disease. As a new virus spreads through our community, what do we do to stay safe? Who do we listen to for advice? And as we grieve for those who’ve passed, how do we keep going?
My mother-in-law. My father-in-law. My husband, his brother; there were six [adults] in my family, and five died. I'm the only one who survived," she says, remembering the faces of her loved ones.
Theresa’s loss and fear are echoed daily in news reports around the world today. But her story isn’t about COVID-19. Before coronavirus, another disease swept across Theresa’s country: Ebola Virus Disease.
Watch this video to learn more about Theresa's story and how the lessons from Ebola have been used to prevent the spread of coronavirus.