From its initial identification in
1976, there have been periodic outbreaks of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) among the
populations of Central Africa [1].
But the current West African outbreak is unprecedented both in its location
and size. And given the current rates of
infection and transmission, as illustrated in Figure 1[2], it can
only be expected to get worse. Many US politicians
are calling for travel bans to the affected countries even now [3], despite
the fact that no direct flights currently exist. There may come a point where strict infection
control measures become necessary, but people should be aware that these
measures do not come without their own negative effects.
