I'm sympathetic to these infected humanitarians, but is this really such a good idea?

Source: Flight leaves for Liberia to evacuate Americans infected with Ebola

The fear began just after news broke Thursday that a long-range business jet with an isolation pod left the United States for Liberia, where it will evacuate two Americans infected with Ebola.

Twitter exploded with questions about the deadly virus, which according to the World Health Organization is believed to have killed hundreds in four West African nations. And with reaction to news that two infected Americans would soon be on their way back to the United States.

"Why are they doing this?" Robin Hunter asked in a post on Twitter.

While U.S. officials have remained mum on the issue, a source told CNN that a medical charter flight left from Cartersville, Georgia, on Thursday evening.

A CNN crew saw the plane depart shortly after 5 p.m. ET. The plane matched the description provided by the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. It was not immediately known when the two Americans -- identified by the source as Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol -- would arrive in the United States, or where the plane would land.

Okay, despite working in a hospital, I am not a clinician or scientist. I don't understand the complete workings of the Ebola virus. But I do have a basic grasp of epidemiolgy and infection control, and Ebola is one really scary virus with dread consequences if it escapes control, Is it worth the risk? Also, several aid agencies are recalling their personnel from these countries, and that brings with it the chance that an infection will be missed until others are exposed. I assume quarantines will be imposed as a precaution, but still...this very well could be the way a terrible regional epidemic spreads to other areas. Yes, precautions can be taken, but no attempts at infection prevention can be considered foolproof, and it only takes one patient zero who slips through the precautions and you have a much bigger epidemic on your hands, in a disease which kills horribly and with a high mortality rate (50%-90%, depending on the strain), with no vaccine, and no assured and efficacious cure.