Back in February of this year, the first registered case of the Ebola virus was recorded in West Africa. The virus then started spreading at an alarming rate making its way into the territories of Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra-Leone. Shortly after, the Doctors without Borders organization declared that the scale of the epidemic is unprecedented. For the past few months, the Ebola virus has already caused the death of almost 900 people.

And despite the best efforts of the medical professionals on the ground, they were unable to contain the spread of the disease. Moreover, the virus is not only causing havoc in Africa but is also making its way overseas. In New York, one person who recently returned from West Africa was hospitalized after showing symptoms of the disease. While just before, another individual returning from Sierra-Leone died as she was passing through customs in London.

But the most worrisome aspect of the situation is that even though the Ebola virus was recorded back in 1976, no cure has been found for the disease.

This is why the Cointelegraph decided to act and write to the World Health Organization about the new opportunity to solve this problem and stop the virus in its tracks via Bitcoin:

Dear WHO, We at Cointelegraph have recently been made aware of the Ebola virus outbreak currently sweeping across Africa. With the death toll of almost 900 people in several months, and with several cases reported in the UK and the US, we cannot just stand by the wayside and do nothing, especially since it has become easier than ever to do something. Back in 2008, Bitcoin emerged on the scene as the first peer-to-peer decentralized currency. In 2014, this digital currency has grown and matured. Now anyone can send money instantly to any point in the world with almost zero friction and for a negligible fee compared to conventional money transfer methods. With Bitcoin’s popularity on the rise on the African continent in particular, it is a no brainer for us that this technology can make a real difference on the ground in Africa. Specifically, this money will go to the World Health Organization who will use it to develop a cure and vaccine for the Ebola virus. This is why we have set up a digital wallet for donations, where everyone from anywhere in the world can send any amount instantly. We believe this is the next generation of crowdfunding that circumvents any red tape, bureaucracy, and is the most effective tool currently available to gather the necessary funds to resolve this urgent problem.

Here's the wallet address for donations: 1Ea4UQWmj4sbS4ewq3C2M4jU64mYoWQ4ti

We encourage everyone to send in their donations and help the World Health Organization not only develop a cure, but to also prove that digital currencies like Bitcoin aren’t simply tools for buying something anonymously on the black market or enabling criminal activity - it is the most effective and quickest way to fund scientific research, develop new vaccines and solve some of the world’s most pressing problems, peer to peer.

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