Ebola to set African states back by a decade, says Irish ambassador

The ebola outbreak could set the formerly war-torn countries of Sierra Leone and Liberia back a decade, Ireland’s first ambassador to the region has warned.

Sinead Walsh was appointed ambassador to Sierra Leone in May but previously headed the Irish Aid office responsible for assistance programmes there and in neighbouring Liberia.

“There is enormous panic here in Sierra Leone”, she said of the outbreak, which is known to have killed more than 700 people and infected 1,300 more in a matter of weeks.