Tinder Meets Ebola: Creepy App Gives You Real-Time Distance From Nearest Sufferer

Ebola hysteria is reaching crisis levels, with people in recent days branding the virus "the new Aids" and news surfacing on Thursday that a series of fatal errors have been made by US health workers, leading to contamination and potential contagion in the States.

The lethal disease has killed around 5,000 people worldwide, according to the latest World Health Organisation figures, and panic-stricken tweets and Facebook statuses are a common sight.

Now, app developers are capitalising on that panic with a web app called 'Ebola Near Me' and one for your phone named 'Ebola Tracker'.

Using the sort of geolocation technology harnessed by dating apps such as Tinder and Grindr, Ebola Near Me takes the user's location and pinpoints the closest reported case, giving people who use the app their exact distance from the virus.

Designed in sparse black and red, Ebola Near Me initially gives users an eerie sense of impending doom. However, the app's developers appear to want to quash hysteria with a message on users' screens that reads: "Warn your friends! Don't be a victim of the real disease: fear. Decrease hysteria and increase awareness. Read, educate yourself and change the conversation.

"The West's myopic approach to media coverage of global events is hurting everyone."

The web app comes at the same time as the release of Ebola Tracker on the App Store for £1.99.

According to the app's description, it's updated every day to reflect the latest outbreaks and also has a map showing the number of outbreaks and their locations, the number of new cases in 24 hours and where you can find Ebola near you.