Ebola: The Next Aids?

With the first death in the U.S. from the Ebola, America is now on edge. Some are predicting it to go viral, while others say it is of no danger. Thomas Eric Duncan, age 42, died Wednesday, October 8th in Dallas, Texas. The Liberian man was in contact with a pregnant woman that later died before departure from Africa, and lied on his entry form. Duncan carried the virus to the states from Liberia. When he left he showed no symptoms of the disease, he landed in Dallas on September 20th and became sick a few days later. Duncan died at 7:51 a.m. at Texas Health Presbyterian, eight days after being diagnosed with Ebola. His death marked the first American death from the disease.

Six countries, five West African countries and the United States, have been affected. In Africa the virus has a 48% death rate with 3,865 deaths out of 8,033 cases. Experts say there is no risk of transmission via flight, and it can only be spread through physical contact or bodily fluids. “In the 30 years I’ve been working public health, the only thing like this has been AIDS, and we have to work now so that this is not the world’s next AIDS,” Dr. Tom Frieden told ABC News.