--- title: CDC Director Tom Frieden: Ebola 'Worse Than I'd Feared' description: Dr. Tom Frieden told CNN the Ebola outbreak is "much bigger" than anyone anticipated canonical: https://time.com/3198366/cdc-director-ebola-is-worse-than-id-feared/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-08-27T23:45:27.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:00:48.965Z article:section: Health og:title: CDC Director Tom Frieden: Ebola 'Worse Than I'd Feared' og:description: Dr. Tom Frieden told CNN the Ebola outbreak is "much bigger" than anyone anticipated og:url: https://time.com/3198366/cdc-director-ebola-is-worse-than-id-feared/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt60a38db48dc4f8eb/6986a132e8524b017160475e/tom_frieden.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2322 og:image:height: 1306 og:image:alt: Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tom Frieden testifies during a hearing before the Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Aug. 7, 2014 in Was og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: CDC Director Tom Frieden: Ebola 'Worse Than I'd Feared' twitter:description: Dr. Tom Frieden told CNN the Ebola outbreak is "much bigger" than anyone anticipated twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt60a38db48dc4f8eb/6986a132e8524b017160475e/tom_frieden.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # CDC Director: Ebola Is 'Worse Than I'd Feared' > Sponsored content. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=1ea00161-8f84-4379-b092-4fcd1609e239&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Fear and Ignorance Spread Ebola [Watch (HLS stream): Fear and Ignorance Spread Ebola](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/KlA2XSgt.m3u8) (1:52)  _Published 2014-08-26. While the Ebola virus remains contained to West Africa, deadly fear and ignorance about the illness have spread worldwide._ by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Aug 27, 2014 11:45 PM UTC  Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testifies during a hearing before the Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Aug. 7, 2014 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testifies during a hearing before the Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Aug. 7, 2014 in Washington, D.C. Alex Wong—Getty Images by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Aug 27, 2014 11:45 PM UTC In an interview with [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/27/health/ebola-outbreak/index.html?hpt=hp%5Ft1) on Wednesday, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tom Frieden, said the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is a “much bigger problem than anyone anticipated.” “It’s even worse than I’d feared,” Frieden said in an interview with [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/27/health/ebola-outbreak/index.html?hpt=hp%5Ft1) in Liberia. Liberia is one of several West African countries at the epicenter of the world’s largest outbreak in history of the deadly virus. Over 1,400 people have died in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The virus has also spread to Nigeria, where the outbreak has killed five people and prompted the shuttering of [public schools](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-28950347) until October. But Frieden says hope is not lost; Ebola [can be stopped](http://time.com/3154277/ebola-virus-health-africa/). “We can stop Ebola,” he said Wednesday, noting that the virus is spread through contact with body fluids, which has often come as a result of caring for the sick and during burial after the infected have perished. “We need to work together to care for people so that they can get the support they need without spreading in communities.” He added, “The sooner the world comes together to help Liberia and West Africans, the safer we will all be.” ## Transcript Between August 19th and August 20th, WHO reported 142 new cases of Ebola and 77 new deaths. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo claims that two people died from what is believed to be a different strain of the virus over the weekend. While Ebola may be lethal, fear and ignorance are the more silent. Killers and the kind outbreak in West Africa. [ FOREIGN ] Some airlines in shipping companies have stopped service to West Africa all together causing supply shortages and worsening conditions in all effected areas. The government of Seira Leon, Liberia, and Geanie have implemented quarantines on major cities with infected residence further isolating. Isolating the victims from help. [ INAUDIBLE ] I beg you please. You [ INAUDIBLE ] Patients can't get to the doctors and many doctors aren't going to the patients. Fear of infection by health workers who live abroad and the limited expertise of local practitioners has limited the number of doctors willing and able to treat [ MUSIC ] There's some good news however, both American patients being treated for Ebola were released on August 21st fully recovered from the disease. I'm thrilled to be alive, to be well, and to be reunited with my family. Despite scares in Germany, the U. S ., Saudi Arabia, Spain ,. France, U. K ., and Thailand. No cases have been confirmed outside of Nigeria, Sierra Leon, Guinea and Liberia. And while the rest of the world maybe thinking about closing off their borders, they are opening up their wallets. China has donated $ 4. 9 million. The U. K. $ 8 million. The E. U. and the U. S. are in for 15. 8 million each. The African Development. [ INAUDIBLE ] Bank is contributing a whopping 56 million dollars. The W. H. 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