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| Ebola could wreck W Africa economies, warns World Bank | Ebola could wreck W Africa economies, warns World Bank |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Ebola outbreak could have a catastrophic impact on the economies of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the World Bank says. | The Ebola outbreak could have a catastrophic impact on the economies of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the World Bank says. |
| The organisation says the economic impact of the virus could "grow eight-fold" in the "already fragile states". | The organisation says the economic impact of the virus could "grow eight-fold" in the "already fragile states". |
| However, it says the cost can be limited if the epidemic - and the accompanying fear - is contained by a fast global response. | However, it says the cost can be limited if the epidemic - and the accompanying fear - is contained by a fast global response. |
| Ebola has killed 2,461 people in West Africa - the largest ever outbreak. | Ebola has killed 2,461 people in West Africa - the largest ever outbreak. |
| US President Barack Obama has called the latest outbreak "a threat to global security", and announced a larger US role in fighting the virus. | |
| The measures announced included ordering 3,000 US troops to the region and building new healthcare facilities. | The measures announced included ordering 3,000 US troops to the region and building new healthcare facilities. |
| The announcement came as UN officials described the outbreak as a health crisis "unparalleled in modern times". | The announcement came as UN officials described the outbreak as a health crisis "unparalleled in modern times". |
| The World Bank's analysis said billions of dollars could be drained from West African countries by the end of next year if the virus continued to spread. | The World Bank's analysis said billions of dollars could be drained from West African countries by the end of next year if the virus continued to spread. |
| Under the worst-case scenario, the global development lender predicted that economic growth next year could be reduced by 2.3 percentage points in Guinea and 8.9 percentage points in Sierra Leone. | Under the worst-case scenario, the global development lender predicted that economic growth next year could be reduced by 2.3 percentage points in Guinea and 8.9 percentage points in Sierra Leone. |
| It predicted Liberia's economy would be hardest-hit, losing 11.7 percentage points off its growth next year. | It predicted Liberia's economy would be hardest-hit, losing 11.7 percentage points off its growth next year. |
| The report emphasised the need to tackle the fear of the disease, as well as the virus itself. It said "aversion behaviour", arising from concerns about contagion, was having a bigger economic impact than the "direct costs" imposed by the epidemic. | |
| Productivity has dropped in sectors of the economy such as agriculture and mining as a result of quarantine measures, and because of fears about the spread of the disease. Many people are working less, and earning and spending less as a result, fuelling poverty. | |
| "The primary cost of this tragic outbreak is in human lives and suffering, which has already been terribly difficult to bear," World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said. | |
| "But our findings make clear that the sooner we get an adequate containment response and decrease the level of fear and uncertainty, the faster we can blunt Ebola's economic impact." | |
| In a statement released on Wednesday, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf welcomed the US plan to combat Ebola, saying she hoped it would "spur the rest of the international community into action". | In a statement released on Wednesday, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf welcomed the US plan to combat Ebola, saying she hoped it would "spur the rest of the international community into action". |
| "This disease is not simply a Liberian or West African problem. The entire community of nations has a stake in ending this crisis," the statement said. | "This disease is not simply a Liberian or West African problem. The entire community of nations has a stake in ending this crisis," the statement said. |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said her country will provide logistical aid to Liberia in the battle against Ebola. | |
| Ms Johnson Sirleaf had earlier written to Germany, appealing for help. | |
| Tulip Mazumdar, global health correspondent | |
| President Obama announced the sort of help that the WHO, Medecins Sans Frontieres and others have been calling for for many weeks. | |
| The promise of 3,000 American troops to help build treatment centres and train thousands of medical staff in Liberia will be a crucial boost to fighting this epidemic, though much more is needed. | |
| The health systems of the three worst-affected countries are among the weakest in the world and can't deal with this massive outbreak alone. | |
| Several months into this crisis, there are still very few isolation and treatment centres. It means that when infected, people who pluck up the courage to get help are often turned away from medical facilities because there simply isn't room or enough medical staff to treat them. | |
| That means they end up going home and infecting others. | |
| Meanwhile in Guinea, a team of health officials was attacked on Tuesday during a visit to a village where were raising awareness of the illness. | |
| People in Wamey, in the south of the country, threw stones at the team, which included WHO and Red Cross representatives. At least 10 officials were hurt, and several who escaped into the bush are still missing. | |
| This is not the first such incident. There have been many reports of people in the region saying they do not believe Ebola exists, or not co-operating with health authorities, fearing that a diagnosis means certain death. | |
| In Sierra Leone, people are preparing for a three-day lockdown ordered by the government in an attempt to stop the spread of Ebola. | |
| The BBC's Umaru Fofana in the capital Freetown says many residents are stocking up on food. A number of aid agencies, including MSF, have criticised the lockdown, saying it would not help contain the virus. | |
| Cumulative deaths - up to 13 September | |
| Ebola: Mapping the outbreak | |
| How bad can it get? | |
| 'Biological war': A week on the Ebola frontline |