Some of you might remember a few years back. There was a devastating outbreak of Ebola in Africa. It actually hit two different regions at the same time. Hundreds died, and for a while, experts were worried that it might sweep across the continent.
Here in the U.S., that led to concerns that it might make its way across the Atlantic. Those fears were stoked by several reported cases in our own hospitals. Some would say the stories were overblown. Others take it as a warning. No matter how you look at it, we’re probably lucky that the few people with Ebola in the U.S. were found and quarantined before the disease could spread.
Now, there’s a new outbreak. This time, it’s in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That’s still an ocean away, but this outbreak is shaping up to be the worst the world has ever seen. Once again, experts fear that it could ravage Africa. Once again, Americans have to wonder if this disease can cross the sea.
Here’s the thing. These concerns are not baseless. They’re rooted in real risk and real fact. If you want to understand exactly why we need to take this threat seriously, watch this video. It lays out all of the risks and the easy solutions to keep our country safe from this terrible disease.