How Bad Is the Ebola Virus?

In the past, people in the Western world were not overly concerned about the Ebola virus because it was far away and not a matter of concern. Suddenly in late 2014, the latest outbreak has spread and the death toll is in the thousands. It has a high mortality rate. So far, there is no known cure. Fortunately, it is not something that is airborne. EDIT: Here is some of the unhelpful sensationalism, a report that maybe it is, maybe it isn't but if it isn't, it could become airborne.

Transmission electron micrograph of Ebola virus. Credit: CDC

Microbiologist Dr. Andrew Fabich addresses some serious questions about the Ebola virus (including how evolutionary "junk DNA" ideas have been harmful). How contagious is it? Were viruses created by God? Can I get infected? Is this bioterrorism? Are atheists doing anything more than ridiculing medical missionaries? How can we respond?

Several months ago, friends of mine were planning a trip to Liberia. They were just about to head over when they got the news that there was an Ebola outbreak. At the time, they contacted me to find out just how safe or unsafe it was in Liberia. They knew more about what to expect on the trip to Liberia, but they were unsure of what to expect in terms of Ebola infecting as many people as it had. At the time, the death toll was in the hundreds (recent estimates suggest that the death toll is over 4,000). I began trying to help them understand a few things about Ebola so they could make an informed decision. Since that time, I have noticed a number of websites have arisen with misinformation and sensationalism that misleads the public about how severe a threat Ebola is.

I strongly recommend reading the rest of this article by clicking on "Where Did Ebola Come From?" ADDENDUM: Here is a more recent article, "Is the Ebola Epidemic Evolution in Action?"