Hélène Akilimali says she’s taking every precaution against contracting Ebola, including always wearing a face mask in public. But her work as a cocoa seller in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - the epicenter of the latest outbreak - brings her into daily contact with other people, some of whom doubt the disease is even real, and she has no control over how they behave.

The World Health Organization on Friday said the outbreak is spreading rapidly and now poses a “very high” risk nationally.

The deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is concerning for a number of complicated factors, but there's no reason for Canadians to panic, say people who have…