THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Decision 2013/759/EU of 12 December 2013 regarding transitional EDF management measures from 1 January 2014 until the entry into force of the 11th European Development Fund1 ('Bridging Facility') and in particular Article 2 thereof,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) No 566/2014 of 26 May 2014 amending Regulation (EC) No 617/2007 on the implementation of the 10th European Development Fund as regards the application of the tran sition period between the 10th EDF and the 11th EDF until the entry into force of the 11th EDF Internal Agreement2, and in particular Article 6(2) and Article 9(3) of its Annex,
Whereas:
(1) In March 2014 an Epidemic of Ebola Virus Disease ('the epidemic') was declared in Guinea and subsequently spread to Libera, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
(2) By 30 July 2014 the epidemic had infected a total of 1 440 people of which 826 have died – including 472 cases and 346 deaths in Guinea; 391 cases and 227 deaths in Liberia; 574 cases and 252 deaths in Sierra Leone and 3 case and 1 death in Nigeria.
(3) In Guinea the epidemic has been attenuated. In Sierra Leone and Liberia, however, the number of cases and deaths, as well as the localities affected continues to rise. The capital cities of all three countries are affected and in Sierra Leone only one province has so far been spared.
(4) The health services of all three countries lack the experience and capacity to respond effectively to the epidemic.
(5) The epidemic has taken a disproportionate toll of health workers, which has resulted in a loss of confidence of health staff and fear of contamination. As a consequence, an increasing number of health staff are reluctant to continue to provide health services, thereby risking the total breackdown of health service provision.