[VIDEO] Stop Worrying About Ebola, Here's Why

The Ebola virus should not be taken lightly, in fact the current outbreak has surpassed 16,000 according to the World Health Organization, but the fear about how easily it can be contracted, especially in the United States, can be diminished thanks to a new informative video from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The video cleared up major misconceptions including that animals can spread the Ebola virus (they cannot) and that mosquitoes can transmit the disease just like malaria (they also can’t).

There have been no reports of dogs or cats becoming sick with Ebola or of being able to spread the disease to people or other animals. Mosquitoes are the deadliest animals in the world but they don’t carry Ebola, the CDC stated.

The video also informed that family members, coworkers and neighbors returning from countries with Ebola outbreaks don’t pose a danger. Not everyone returning from said countries has been in contact with someone who has Ebola and even so, they are actively monitored at least once a day after their return by public health officials.

Ebola is spread through direct contact with body fluids from a sick person with the virus; you can’t get Ebola from a handshake or a hug.

A major tip that the video provided was that household bleach and other disinfectants kill Ebola. So if you’re unsure if something of yours was contaminated, cleaning it with disinfectants will kill any traces of the disease.

Watch the video for more information.