Jaguars mascot catches heat for sign

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Jaguars mascot Jaxson de Ville has come under fire for using the Ebola epidemic to mock the Pittsburgh Steelers' Terrible Towels during the game between the teams on Sunday at EverBank Field.

According to Jaguars PR, Curtis Dvorak, who has worn the cat costume for 18 seasons, was in the suit Sunday. During the game, he held up a handwritten sign that read "TOWELS CARRY EBOLA" while carrying a yellow Terrible Towel in his right hand.

The picture of the mascot holding the sign went viral and drew the ire of many on social media.

Jaguars officials declined to comment Sunday night, other than to identify the mascot.

Ebola is a viral disease that is highly infectious and is spread by contact with bodily fluids. It has a mortality rate of nearly 90 percent. According to the World Health Organization Ebola Response Roadmap Update from Friday, there are 7,470 probable, confirmed and suspected cases of the disease, and there have been 3,431 deaths in the African nations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

There has been one confirmed case of Ebola in the United States, in Dallas.