UNSC concern over Ebola, terror threats in West Africa

The UN Security Council Wednesday expressed its deep concerns at current health and terrorist threats in some of the West African countries, saying that these challenges should be properly addressed collectively by the international community.

The 15-nation UN body, in a statement issued to the press here, said that it is deeply concerned at the current outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa and the threat posed by the activities of the terrorist group Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria and its neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon, Xinhua reported.

"The Members of the Security Council also expressed their deep concern over the current outbreak of the Ebola virus in some countries in West Africa and conveyed to the international community the need to provide prompt assistance in order to prevent the spread of the virus."

Doctors say the Ebola outbreak gripping West Africa could spread to neighbouring countries or even Europe. The epidemic is thought to have begun in Guinea in March, before spreading to Liberia and Sierra Leone.