By Alison Bruzek, NPR
Basic information about Ebola isn’t as clear as it probably could be.
A recent poll by the Harvard School of Public Health, for instance, found that 38 percent of Americans are worried that Ebola will infect them or a family member in the next year, despite assurances that the U.S. will stop Ebola in its tracks.
We’ve put together a primer on what you need to know. We’ll update it as new information develops.
1. It’s Not That Contagious. Really.
Each person who contracts the virus spreads it, on average, to one or two other people. It’s not as contagious as HIV, SARS or measles.
2. Ebola Is Not Airborne…
Ebola is transmitted through bodily fluids, such as blood, sweat, saliva, breast milk, feces, urine and semen. However, infectious disease specialists say Ebola is not an airborne disease, like the flu. Continue reading