The long-term economic effects on these countries is likely to be grave. The World Bank says that unless the epidemic is contained it could cause Liberia’s economy to contract by 4.9% and slash growth in Sierra Leone from 11% to about 2%. Trade across many African borders has slowed over fears of the disease; tourism has suffered. The World Bank recently released $105m of $250m it had offered to support the immediate response and to rebuild damaged heath systems. And the $181m promised by the European Union is largely aimed in this direction. Although long-term thinking is laudable, the immediate issue in Liberia is national stability. The defence minister, Brownie Samukai, told the UN Security Council that Ebola is a threat to his country’s existence.