www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/world/africa/ebola-congo-tedros-rubio.html
Here is why any health official that tells you Ebola will not spread beyond Africa is wrong. Does Ebola transmit across species? Yes. Does Ebola transmit within species? Yes. Does Ebola surpass epidemic SIR models repeatedly in novel environments. Is Ebola one of the youngest, largest and most evolutionarily adaptable viruses in the history of Virology. Yes. Does Ebola adapt around vaccines and molecular testing. Yes. The greatest risk though presently is not even within the dynamics of the virus, it’s the idiocy of American and European governments about infectious diseases. Our ignorance about viruses is their greatest asset.
Do not even believe Dr. Tedros when he says your risk of dying in a country outside of Africa from Ebola is low, and forget about zero. Anyone who tells you your risk is zero doesn’t understand infectious disease risk, and especially Ebola. Maybe they’re good at reading the science of what is known, but how you navigate uncertainty is equally important in Epidemiology–some might say it’s more important.
In terms of inequality, well this should not be surprise to anyone. Infact in every plague in history the same scenario unfolds. A new disease agent rises with patterns that are generalizable to a region and people outside of that region put a wall between themselves and the infected and cadavers amass. The tighter the containment the greater the misperception about susceptibility and mortality. In the interim the living develop logic that makes them feel more comfortable with the situation on the other side of the wall or ocean, jungle or mountain maybe just a fence.
Meanwhile, there has never been a virus that decides it will only infect and harm hosts in Africa. Almost every living organism on Earth that was born in Africa eventually escaped their geographical boundary conditions.
Indeed there might be no truer story than that — life, all of it, good and bad and the other side of this story is the exploitation of our African mother and her children — even in matters of disease.