The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
More deaths from measles than from Ebola have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, most of them in children. So which disease is worse? Which should be addressed first?
Infectious diseases have been with humans from the very beginning, and they travel with humans to this day. What’s worse, our intelligence allows us to spread these diseases farther and faster than ever before.
Despite early success with a vaccine against Ebola, the outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo continues due to violence and civil unrest.
If you want to learn a little more about history in general, and infectious diseases in particular, I highly recommend the following three books. Please note that I do not receive any kind of compensation for recommending them. They’re just books that cover historical aspects of infectious diseases in the United States and abroad, including some stories related to vaccines. Enjoy…