Containing ebola

Even though the World Health Organisation declared the West African ebola epidemic out of control several days ago the news that a man is being tested for the virus in an Athens hospital moves the crisis closer to home.

The epidemic began in some of the poorest countries in the world, societies utterly overwhelmed by the crisis and this means that it is unlikely to be contained at source. Because of this it is necessary to consider an international cordon sanitaire. Not to do so would facilitate the spread of the pathogen, a situation that would benefit no one, least of all those trapped in the countries where the epidemic began.

If the epidemic is to be contained — there is no known cure — international aid to the region will have to be increased dramatically. Local services simply cannot cope. Even if the man in Athens is cleared, and let us hope that is the case, far greater resources must be applied to defusing this international time bomb because even if this outbreak is contained the next one may not be.