Ebola epidemic 'could lead to failed states', warns WHO

The World Health Organization says the Ebola epidemic is threatening the very survival of societies and could lead to failed states.

The outbreak, which has killed about four thousand people in West Africa, has led to a "crisis for international peace and security.

WHO Head, Margaret Chan, also warned of the cost of panic "spreading faster than the virus.

In a speech delivered on her behalf at a conference in the Philippines, Dr Chan said Ebola is a historic risk.

She said she has never seen a health event threatening the very survival of societies and governments in already very poor countries.

Dr Chan also criticised pharmaceutical firms for not focusing on Ebola, condemning a profit-driven industry that does not invest in products for markets that cannot pay.

BBC