# Why is Ebola such a big deal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 6, 2014, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ebola-such-a-big-deal/694930 "2014-08-06T07:58:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ebola-such-a-big-deal/694930/41 "2014-08-07T10:06:26Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Depending on the study you read, it’s somewhere between 60 and 90% fatal. My understanding is that it’s 90% fatal if completely untreated, but goes down to 60% if treated. Note though that those treated (except for a couple of Americans who’ve been evacuated) were treated in West African hospitals (notoriously crowded, understaffed, and undersupplied) or by overworked and undersupplied doctors. I strongly suspect that if these people were treated in a better environment (e.g. a modern hospital in North America or Europe), the death rate would plummet. Probably to well below 50%. Even without the super secret medicine the two Americans got. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ebola-such-a-big-deal/694930/42 "2014-08-07T10:48:10Z")
It’s a very real threat if you happen to be living in one of the affected countries. It’s not in any way a threat to people in America, given that we’re vastly more likely to die at age 68 from a blocked artery But people are, as a whole, really bad at calculating risk. ---
**Author:** ![Bert\_Nobbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bert\_Nobbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bert_Nobbins)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ebola-such-a-big-deal/694930/43 "2014-08-07T15:29:59Z")
> [@iljitsch](#): > > Especially considering that the 1918 flu managed to circle the globe in 18 months despite the fact that air travel was non-existent at the time. > > I wonder how bad the ebola outbreaks will have to get before airlines stop / are stopped flying to affected regions. British Airways has halted all flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone for one month due to the ebola outbreak. ---
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ebola-such-a-big-deal/694930/44 "2014-08-07T16:42:13Z")
The mortality also depends on the way it’s contracted. If you contract Ebola with an unsterilized needle your mortality will be around 90%, if you contract it with improper barrier nursing it’s about 15%. Also Africa doesn’t have nearly enough advanced medical facilities to treat it. Add in facts like this: WHO estimates Africa needs about 3 billion needles each year to properly treat disease in the continent. However less than 100 million are made in Africa. You can see the problem right away. Either Africa will have to import huge numbers, or reuse needles. Coupled with the fact Ebola resembles Lassa Fever, Malaria and other illnesses for the first five days. Malaria is endemic over most of Africa. If you get sick the chances of it being Malaria over Ebola are great. But what if you’re wrong? Look at illness like TB, Malaria, Cholera, that have killed millions of Americans in the past but now are not found here or in the west in any great numbers. But you know what sells sells. I know of people who worry about getting HIV while they smoke like a chimney, are 50 pounds overweight and live on butter. They’d be far better off worrying about a heart attack. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ebola-such-a-big-deal/694930/45 "2014-08-07T20:44:18Z")
Inspired by a TV show: Are the ones who do not die in spite of getting no medical help present an opportunity to figure out an vaccine? Has anyone survived who for sure had it and for sure got no medical help? They are just immune? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ebola-such-a-big-deal/694930.md?page=2)