Why you should worry less about Ebola and more about measles

In 2012, 330 people died of measles — every day

Measles vaccine
(Image credit: (VNA/Xinhua Press/Corbis))

The Ebola outbreak has killed nearly 5,000 people in West Africa, but only a handful of cases have been reported in the United States. Still, the virus has sparked widespread fear in the U.S. Views that Ebola is an exotic disease spreading out of control within Africa, with horrific symptoms, inevitable death, and limited means to prevent transmission are contributing to this fear. However, these fears are fueled by a misunderstanding of risk.

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