By more than two-to-one, more Democrats say they have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in the government to deal with Ebola (69%) than not much or no confidence at all (28%). Independents also are confident in the government’s ability to prevent an Ebola outbreak in the U.S. (56% vs. 42%). Republicans are divided: About as many say they have little or no confidence (51%) in the federal government to prevent a major Ebola outbreak as say they have a great deal or fair amount of confidence (48%).

In November 2005, amid concerns over an outbreak of bird flu, Republicans were far more confident than Democrats in the government’s ability to prevent a major outbreak. At that time, shortly after the Bush administration was widely criticized for its response to Hurricane Katrina, 74% of Republicans and just 35% of Democrats expressed confidence in the government’s ability to deal with a possible bird flu outbreak.