[G8 Diplomat]

A pandemic can emerge as quickly as a hurricane and engulf the entire world in a few weeks on the wings — not of migratory birds — of big metal "birds" with airline logos on their sides
Exactly. This is how the Ebola virus spread. Some guy in Africa caught Ebola from bat droppings while exploring a cave, and when he began experiencing initial symptoms he flew to Nairobi hospital. On the plane he was coughing and vomiting violently, and sure enough, seven days later, everyone on the plane came down with the virus. When he entered the hospital, his vomito negro (Latin for black vomit) continued, and the vomit came in contact with the doctor and everyone else in the room, and they got sick too. Read The Hot Zone.

By the way, why isn't the plural of virus "viri"?

[Battle Axe]

Because it is Latin. And the Latinspeakers made up all their own rules.

[Old Professer]

BTW, why has Ebola never become pandemic?