19-Nov-2014 As many of you will have heard, the Ebola virus has claimed more than 4,000 lives during the current epidemic in West Africa.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 9,000 people have been infected during the outbreak.

Even though the outbreak has only affected three countries out of 54, Arusha and the whole of Africa has seen a major decline in visitors due to the media coverage and because there isn’t a widespread understanding of the size and diversity of Africa.

Some people have contacted us wanting to know if it is safe to travel to Tanzania and The School of St Jude. We want to explain why it is still safe and why visiting us helps us continue fighting poverty through education.

Some important facts about Ebola

Ebola map
ebola world map

We understand that many people are worried about Ebola however we want to assure you that Tanzania, and East Africa, continues to be a safe destination to travel to. Your support during this time is greatly appreciated since without visitors, volunteers and word of mouth it is harder for us to find funds to keep fighting poverty through education.

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CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/qa.html

10 Essential Facts About Ebola www.everydayhealth.com/news/ebola-10-essential-facts-about/

Fear, Misinformation, and Social Media Complicate Ebola Fight
http://time.com/3479254/ebola-social-media/

Map: The Africa without Ebola www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/11/03/map-the-africa-without-ebola/

'Epidemic of ignorance': Tourists avoid Africa, all of it  www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/10/31/safari-ebola-africa-geography/17784729/