Why Deadly Ebola Virus Is Likely to Hit the U.S. But Not Spread
The fatal virus rages in Africa, but the U.S. could contain its brutal effects.
As the worst Ebola outbreak in human history rages across West Africa, the obvious question Americans are asking is: Could it come here?
The answer is yes, it probably will. But it's not worth losing sleep over, experts say. (See "Q&A: Ebola Spreads in Africa—And Likely Will Spread Beyond.")
The virus is one of the deadliest ever seen, killing up to 90 percent of its victims. And the death isn't pretty. About half of patients exhibit the gruesome bleeding symptoms typical of any hemorrhagic fever—seared into the American consciousness by the 1995 movie Outbreak. But it can also resemble other tropical diseases, like dengue with its high fever, so Ebola is sometimes missed in its early stages.
That may be
