Ohio officials seem to have reacted to a public health threat, Ebola, out of an abundance of caution. That ought to be reassuring to state residents.

Though Ebola is a frightening disease, it is important to keep the current outbreak in perspective.

Several diseases are more dangerous to Americans. A sampling of federal statistics for 2011, the most recent year for which numbers are available, is instructive. In that year, 44 Americans died of Salmonella, 611 of Meningitis, 1,532 from influenza and 7,850 from viral hepatitis. Thus far, just one man – a Liberian who had the disease when he came here – has died of Ebola in the United States.

Again, Ebola is a horrifyingly effective killer. About half those who contract the disease die. It has claimed more than 4,500 victims in three African countries during the past few months.

That is why errors made by federal agencies reacting to the outbreak are so distressing. Some, including President Barack Obama, seem more worried about the political fallout than about public health.

That is not the case in our states. Even here in West Virginia, where there is no indication an Ebola outbreak is looming, state officials have acted decisively to be ready should the disease come here.

Because of an incredible error by a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official, Ebola is a very real concern in the Buckeye State. One of the nurses who treated the Liberian killed by Ebola at a Texas hospital visited Cleveland and Akron after the man’s death. She was told by the CDC that traveling was not a problem. Then she came down with Ebola.

Both local and state officials in Ohio are teaching their federal counterparts a lesson in how to deal with infectious disease. Some Ohioans who had contact with the nurse have been quarantined. Scores of others, including two Belmont County residents, are being monitored – even if they did not have direct contact with the sick woman.

In short, it appears Ohioans have little to fear from Ebola – but can have faith in the state reaction, should that change.