Advances in technology and transportation have made it easier than ever to travel from continent to continent. For example, one can travel from Africa to Syracuse in about 30 hours by plane. This means that we are all vulnerable to the outbreak of the Ebola virus, says Dr. Timothy Endy, division chief of infectious disease at Upstate Medical University.
Ebola has spread in western Africa partly because of a lack of infrastructure, Endy explains.
"We in the United States are privileged to have a very well organized and functional public health system. We have outstanding standards of health care delivery," he said.
Endy has extensive experience with Ebola and other highly fatal viruses from his time with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. We'll take a closer look at the virus.
Also on this week's show: a concussion management expert tells how to recognize and reduce the damage from head injuries that occur in sports.