A Fast-Moving Ebola Epidemic Full of Tragic Surprises

The Ebola epidemic that is ravaging parts of West Africa is a fast-moving event with many unprecedented dimensions. This is the largest, most severe and most complex Ebola epidemic in the nearly four-decade history of the disease. The number of cases and deaths to date far exceeds those from all past outbreaks combined. The number of surprises delivered by the epidemic is likewise unprecedented. It is large and tragic.