The map shows areas of confirmed/probable and suspected cases of Ebola hemorrhagic fever. The Ebola data overlays Maplecroft’s Capacity to Contain Infectious Disease Index 2014, in which many West African countries are classified as ‘extreme risk’. Guinea – where the Ebola outbreak was first registered in February 2014 – is ranked 11th out of 197 countries with a score of 2.07/10 (where a lower score and rank indicate a greater risk). Regional health authorities appear to be struggling to contain the spread of the disease. This is thought to have led to Ebola spreading over Guinea’s border, with cases first appearing in Sierra Leone in May 2014.
Reflecting the impact on business, some multinational mining companies have pulled out non-essential staff from their West African operations in response to the Ebola outbreak. Companies have also imposed restrictions on travel within the region. Other preventative measures include monitoring the health of employees, such as compulsory body temperature screening. There is a risk of further operational disruption to businesses with operations in West Africa unless the Ebola outbreak is contained.
