Final answer:
The statement best supported by the passage is c) Zoonotic diseases can spread extremely quickly, as evidenced by historical instances of disease spread and the impact of global travel on disease transmission. Option C is correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Within the provided passage, the information pertains to the risks and characteristics of zoonotic diseases, their spread via modern transportation, and specific historical instances where diseases spread across borders.
The correct answer to the question which statement is best supported by the passage is c) Zoonotic diseases can spread extremely quickly. This is supported by examples given in the passage, such as West Nile Virus likely being introduced to the U.S. by an infected traveler and the global spread of H1N1 in 2009, as well as the broader occurrence of diseases spreading through increased global mobility.
Statements about individuals getting infected in Egypt by tourists (a) or claiming that all zoonotic diseases spread through coughing (b) are not supported by the passage. Furthermore, no evidence is provided that suggests vaccines for most zoonotic diseases will be created within a few years (d), making it also unsupported.