Ebola crisis in Liberia: 'One in two workers now jobless
Nearly half of all Liberians who were employed when the Ebola outbreak began are no longer working, a survey by the World Bank has found.
It said many workers have been told to stay at home or have lost their jobs, while markets have been forced to shut.
Earlier, a World Bank economist said the Ebola outbreak was expected to cost the region about $3-4bn (£1.9-2.5bn).
Ebola has infected about 14,000 people in West Africa, killing more than 5,000 - with about 2,800 deaths in Liberia.
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Talking at a lecture in South Africa, he said the total cost was likely to be about one-tenth of the $32bn loss previously estimated as the worst-case scenario in West Africa.
The outbreak's successful containment in some West African states made the gloomiest forecasts less likely, but there was no room for complacency, he added.
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf echoed his comments about complacency but said her country was now winning the fight against Ebola.
"The sustaining of anti-Ebola measures over the last two months has meant that in Liberia we now have the upper hand," she said in a statement.
"But our government remains concerned that progress in this battle will lead to complacency on the part of the international community. We must not interpret gains as an outright victory - nothing could be more dangerous."
Talking at a lecture in South Africa, he said the total cost was likely to be about one-tenth of the $32bn loss previously estimated as the worst-case scenario in West Africa.
The outbreak's successful containment in some West African states made the gloomiest forecasts less likely, but there was no room for complacency, he added.
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf echoed his comments about complacency but said her country was now winning the fight against Ebola.
"The sustaining of anti-Ebola measures over the last two months has meant that in Liberia we now have the upper hand," she said in a statement.
"But our government remains concerned that progress in this battle will lead to complacency on the part of the international community. We must not interpret gains as an outright victory - nothing could be more dangerous."
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