IMF says Ebola having 'acute' impact on West African economies

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The worst ever outbreak of the Ebola disease is likely to lead to sharply lower growth in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and raise financing needs in all three West African countries, an IMF spokesman said on Thursday.

At least 1,500 people have died of the deadly hemorrhagic virus since it was detected in the remote jungles of southeast Guinea in March and spread quickly to neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone. Five people have also died in Nigeria.