Quick Reality Check

[Patrick O'Neil]

It is probably pointless at the moment but I say it anyway:

The ONLY reason this particular outbreak of Ebola is getting special 
media attention, and hence, public attention is because it happened to occur 
coincident with sensationalistic books and a couple goofy movies.  

REALITY:  In the first major, KNOWN outbreak of Ebola in 1976, 269 people
died as a result of infection.  That is more than twice what has been
reported in any news broadcast, even the upper end.  If it hadn't been for
these movies and books, little heed would be paid in the West by the media
or public.  I would wager that the coverage would have been less than that
given to the outbreak of "plague" in India...afterall, it is a reasonably
major country. 

MORAL:  it is great to be piqued into wanting to learn more about viruses 
and other pathogens, it may come in handy in the future, but it this 
outbreak, tragic as it is for the local citizens of Zaire, is hardly the 
beginning of a major worldwide plague.  

Patrick