"While Ebola has an extremely high mortality rate, it is not wildly contagious. It requires direct physical contact or fluid transfer from someone who is already symptomatic. So yes, it's gruesome and scary, but also much more likely to be contained and isolated."
My quote perfectly summarizes the reality of the virus. Ebola is terrifying because of what it does to the human body, but its biological traits make it much easier to bottle up and stop than a respiratory virus.
The average mortality rate is around 50%, which is extremely high. By comparison, the 30% rate is considered very high, and the 1-3% mortality rate of Covid-19 is low to moderate.
Ebola cannot travel through the air. You cannot catch it simply by sitting near someone or walking past them in public. The virus only spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids.
The Main Risk Groups: Because of how it spreads, the disease rarely causes massive global pandemics. Instead, outbreaks are usually limited to healthcare workers and family members who care for the sick without protective gear, or people attending traditional funerals that involve touching the deceased.
The Golden Rule of Ebola: A person infected with Ebola is not contagious during the incubation period. They can only pass the virus to others after they start showing visible symptoms, like a fever, body aches, vomiting, or bleeding.
You're more likely to catch HIV at a truck stop.