Ebola is a virus that kills up to 90% of those infected. Previous outbreaks have been confined to remote areas far away from population centers. The current outbreak is different: Patrick Sawyer, an American who works for the Liberian government, died from the deadly disease upon arriving in Nigeria last week.
This is the first time an outbreak has occurred in a urban population center with access to airports. As such, this petition calls for immediate travel bans from all countries currently affected by the outbreak:
- Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone
- Any others that may suffer subsequent infections
The high mortality of this disease is too great a risk to put any economic concerns ahead of safety. This will set a precedent for swift action to stem the tide of global epidemics.