File:PMC4456362 pntd.0003652.g001.png

English: pntd.0003652.g001: Map of Ebola outbreaks in Africa.The outbreak in West Africa is unprecedented in its scope and duration, occurring for the first time in urban centers. Historically, Ebola viral outbreaks (stars, timeline right) occurred sporadically, limited largely to Central African rural areas where the human population (grey to red gradient stippling [5,6]) has been low or more remote from areas of high population density. It is uncertain how frequent Ebola outbreaks will be in the future, given the identification of wildlife spillover potential in West Africa and the increasingly concentrated human populations in this region.