An unknown simian virus recently killed off nearly half the human population of a remote jungle town. Because the disease spread at an alarming rate-victims usually exhibited signs within 8 hours of exposure, and many died within 36 hours-the simian virus, if an outbreak occurs again, is likely to cause more deaths than has any other previous virus. Which of the following pieces of information most effectively calls into question the validity of the conclusion?
A: Viruses tend to be most destructive in densely populated areas, oftentimes spreading amongst thousands of people before any quarantine can be put in place.
B: The Zairean strain of the Ebola virus, known as Zaire ebolavirus, has a mortality rate of nearly 75%.
C: The town in which the outbreak occurred had only fifty people, of whom twenty-four died.
D: Viruses that have very little time to incubate before destroying their hosts tend not to lead to widespread epidemics, because quarantines are put in place before the disease can spread.
Choose A, B, C or D as your solution.
D