Extrapolation of the current trend shows that massive numbers of people could become infected in a short period of time. The cumulative number of cases is doubling every month.
The process employed by WHO in West Africa is the same process used successfully to combat previous Ebola outbreaks. The process is straightforward, but labor-intensive. … Clearly, as the number of Ebola cases rises, the ability to contain the epidemic becomes more strained. As the disease grows exponentially, the required staffing also grows exponentially. … The window for successfully containing the epidemic is rapidly closing. At some level of contagion, social order will break down entirely. At that point, treatment of cases will become difficult or impossible; clear data about the status of the epidemic may disappear.
Source: Wonky Thoughts: Ebola Update #1