Plague Season: How Conspiracy Theories Are Derailing Public Health Efforts

The current outbreaks of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and hantavirus on a cruise ship have spawned an array of conspiracy theories, ranging from claims that these diseases are bioweapons designed to upend elections or push new vaccines to assertions that they are caused by Covid vaccines and Bill Gates’ alleged plans for world domination.

Conspiracy theories around disease outbreaks are a persistent phenomenon that transcends ideological boundaries. According to University of Miami associate professor Joseph Uscinski, “whatever the disease, people are going to say there’s a conspiracy behind it or that it’s not real and the vaccine is a scam.” This byproduct of human psychology has become a major impediment to effective public health responses in recent years.

The current Ebola outbreak in the DRC has been hampered by massive cuts to global public health efforts under the Trump administration. The dismantling of USAID and research cuts at US health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have left a gaping hole in the international response. Furthermore, attacks on state power – ironically, a hallmark of anti-government conspiracies – are undermining efforts to contain these outbreaks.

Historical parallels can be drawn between modern-day outbreaks and the 14th century plague, which killed an estimated one-third of Europeans. Middle Ages historian Thomas Asbridge notes that both eras share common characteristics: context marked by financial and climate crises. In the case of the 14th century, it was the collapse of the Florentine gold-backed economy and the onset of the Little Ice Age.

Similarly, we are experiencing an era of unprecedented economic uncertainty, coupled with human contact with animals carrying zoonotic pathogens that jump across species. The hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has highlighted the complexities of responding to emerging diseases in a world where humans increasingly interact with animals. Initial confusion over precisely how to respond – exacerbated by hostility to government or officials’ mixed messaging – underscores the challenges facing public health officials.

Prominent figures have contributed to the spread of conspiracy theories around these outbreaks, including Alex Jones and Infowars, which peddled misinformation about Ebola victims returning as zombies during a previous outbreak in 2014. The Gateway Pundit has suggested that hantavirus is “another plandemic” designed to terrorize Americans.

Social media platforms continue to amplify these conspiracy theories, often without fact-checking or consequence for their spreaders. As the WHO’s chief scientist, Sylvie Briand, noted, there is a pressing need to develop strategies to combat misinformation and promote scientific evidence-based responses to emerging diseases.

The response to hantavirus, Ebola, Covid, and past outbreaks like the 14th century plague share common characteristics: confusion over precisely how to respond, coupled with hostility to government or officials’ mixed messaging. In this plague season, it’s imperative that we recognize the pernicious effects of conspiracy theories on public health efforts and do everything in our power to counteract them.

In an era where facts are increasingly subject to distortion and manipulation, the stakes have never been higher. We must resist the allure of conspiracy theories and prioritize fact-based decision-making to tackle emerging diseases effectively. The future of public health depends on it.