The Ebola epidemic is having a “stark” economic impact on Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, and is cutting economic growth even more than estimates published in early November.

That’s the conclusion of a study released Tuesday by the World Bank. Before the Ebola crisis, all three nations were growing strongly.

Liberia is now expected to grow at just a 2.2 percent annual rate, and Sierra Leone predicted to expand 4 percent, which is around one-third of the pre-crisis rates of expansion for these two nations. Guinea’s growth projection has been cut from 4.5 percent before the crisis to just half of 1 percent now.

The economic impact of disease and death has been amplified by workers and shoppers staying home to avoid contagion. The economy also is hurt by reductions in trade, travel and the loss of foreign experts in mining and other industries.

The impact of Ebola will continue to be felt as rising expenses for health care and falling tax revenue strain national budgets and force governments to move money from infrastructure projects to emergency medical activities.
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