Number of new Ebola cases declining as disease evolves: UN

United Nations officials say new cases of Ebola in West Africa have been decreasing. David Nabarro, who serves as UN special envoy for the Ebola response, said that diagnoses have been dropping in the three most affected countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. However, Nabarro said the outbreak seems to have evolved, and the world’s response needs to be nimble, flexible, and adaptable when responding to West Africa’s densely populated urban areas and rural communities.

The outbreak feels different now. It’s no longer a single outbreak spreading from a central point. It’s a collection of micro-outbreaks, each with its own character and specific needs.

David Nabarro, who serves as UN special envoy for the Ebola response

Meanwhile, after warning last October that the outbreak, which has killed more than 8,600, could wreak $25 billion in economic losses across all of West Africa, the bank said that with Ebola now broadly contained, the toll could run to $6.2 billion. On Jan. 15, the UN said that at least 50 Ebola hotspots remain in West Africa.

Thanks to global response, this scenario has not materialized and the devastating effect of the disease has slowed.

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, special representative and Head of the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response

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