Population increase, encroachment into wooded regions, and direct contact with animals (such as bushmeat consumption) may have aided in the spread of the Ebola virus. Since its discovery in 1976, the majority of Ebola Virus Disease cases and outbreaks have occurred in Africa. Ebola spreads through contact with body fluids such as blood, saliva, urine, sweat, breast milk, or feces from an infected person. An infected animal's bodily fluid can also transmit the virus. People become infected when they touch something that contains the virus - for example, when a patient does not properly dispose of their blood - and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth. They then pass on the infection to their own bodies. In addition, the virus is known to live in many kinds of animals, so it cannot be contained by just one host species. It can survive in the environments where it has been found, including heat, dirt, and water for several days, indicating that it is not likely to disappear anytime soon. Currently there is no cure for Ebola, but some patients do recover with treatment. The mortality rate is around 90%. Because of this high rate of death, Ebola is often called "the deadliest virus".