Ebola Map - West African countries are the ground zero points for the deadly virus where it must be eradicated

Pink on the West Africa map indicates a few Ebola cases confirmed; darker colors are 300 or more confirmed cases and deep rose is high number of confirmed virus infected patients. The problem with this map is that the numbers of reported confirmed cases aren't completely accurate......the actual numbers are higher than what's reported. Developing countries do not have access to accurate data collection processes, and the numbers are corrupted by skewed or biased public officials.

Ebola news is consuming our attention. One mortality and another infection is now reported in Texas. But, thousands are infected in Western Africa with a rate of 50 percent mortality associated with those who are infected with the virus.

To rid the world of Ebola requires eliminating the source of the virus and the method of transmission where it is endemic, in Africa. Only two people, so far, have presented with Ebola in Texas. One of the two is 26-year-old Nina Pham, a caregiver of Mr. Duncan's, who died from the virus infection at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. Obviously, the fiscal toll of the two Dallas illnesses are taking a huge toll on the community. Someone is paying for the decontamination of the contaminated isolation areas, the incineration of the equipment used to treat the Ebola patients, not to mention the lost revenues associated with diversions of patients away from Texas Presbyterian, until the Ebola risk is eliminated. Resources used to prevent Ebola from spreading in Dallas are necessary but disproportionate to the small numbers who are at risk for becoming sick with the virus.

To prevent further exacerbation of Ebola in Texas or elsewhere, the source of the virus must, obviously, be eliminated. Unfortunately, destroying the source of Ebola is difficult because it's not clear where the virus originated. If the DNA of the virus can be identified, it will help to locate the source and destroy its growth.

Destroying Ebola in Africa by eradicating any potential for transmission of the virus will be millions of dollars cheaper than trying to prevent a few people in Texas from becoming ill. Nevertheless, Texas must do whatever it takes to prevent Ebola from spreading, while the world must provide the resources to stop the virus from infecting any more people in Africa.  And soon.