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The Ebola epidemic has so far claimed the lives of 5,420 people all around the world, while more than 15,145 people have been infected, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. The virus has been most devastating in the West African countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, which have seen the most fatalities with 2,964, 1,250 and 1,192 deaths, respectively, the WHO announced on Wednesday. However, the WHO predicts that the number of Ebola victims is likely to be much higher than the official statistics, considering the 70-percent mortality rate.

Meanwhile, the World Bank reports that the impact of the Ebola virus on Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy is expected to be around $3-$4 billion, so much less than the organization’s earlier estimate of $32 billion as the utmost possible damage. "The risk of the highest case of economic impact of Ebola has been reduced because of the success of containment in some countries. It has not gone to zero because a great level of preparedness and focus is still needed," said Francisco H. G. Ferreira, the World Bank's Chief Economist for the Africa Region, in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Ebola is a form of hemorrhagic fever whose symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting and bleeding. The virus spreads through direct contact with infected blood, feces or sweat. It can also be spread through sexual contact or the unprotected handling of contaminated corpses. There is currently no known cure for Ebola.

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Mali has placed hundreds of people under surveillance over fear of being exposed to Ebola, as the country battles to contain the spread of the deadly virus. “The number of contacts followed by health services amounts to 442,” said Samba Sow, head of the Ebola response in Mali, in a statement on Sunday, adding that the people are all being monitored for health control. Officials in Mali have so far prevented a major outbreak after the death of a Guinean imam and the Malian nurse who treated him in the capital, Bamako, last week. A friend who had visited the imam also died of probable Ebola. In October, a two-year-old girl also died in the western town of Kayes after she was confirmed of having contracted the virus. “The death toll has not changed since November 15, and remains three related to (and including) the Guinean patient’s death and one death in Kayes,” Sow stated. Meanwhile, officials said two people that died on November 15 are “highly suspected” of having contracted Ebola after exposure to the imam’s body. Teams of investigators in Mali have been tracing health workers and scouring cities for people who could have been exposed to the deadly virus.

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Officials with the Nebraska Medical Center report that a Maryland doctor who was being treated for Ebola there has died.

Hospital officials made the announcement in a news release on Monday:

The third patient with the Ebola virus to be treated at Nebraska Medical Center, Dr. Martin Salia, has regretfully passed away as a result of his disease.

"It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share this news," said Dr. Phil Smith, medical director of the Biocontainment Unit at Nebraska Medical Center and professor of infectious diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the hospital's academic partner. "Dr. Salia was extremely critical when he arrived here, and unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we weren't able to save him."

Dr. Salia was suffering from advanced symptoms of Ebola when he arrived at the hospital Saturday, which included kidney and respiratory failure. He was placed on dialysis, a ventilator and multiple medications to support his organ systems in an effort to help his body fight the disease. He also received a dose of convalescent plasma and ZMapp therapy was initiated on Saturday.

"We used every possible treatment available to give Dr. Salia every possible opportunity for survival," said Dr. Smith. "As we have learned, early treatment with these patients is essential. In Dr. Salia's case, his disease was already extremely advanced by the time he came here for treatment."

"We're very grateful for the efforts of the team led by Dr. Smith," said Isatu Salia, Dr. Salia's wife. "In the short time we spent here, it was apparent how caring and compassionate everyone was. We are so appreciative of the opportunity for my husband to be treated here and believe he was in the best place possible."

"Every member of the team has been personally affected by Dr. Salia's passing," concluded Shelly Schwedhelm, nursing director of the Biocontainment Unit. "While losing any patient is always extremely difficult, although our effort here was brief, everyone gave every ounce of effort they had. The collective feeling of loss has been overwhelming."

Members of our team plan to speak to the media Monday morning. More information will be available soon."

Earlier Monday morning, we reported that Dr. Martin Salia was in extremely critical condition in the biocontainment unit at Nebraska Medical Center. Although he was stable Friday, by Saturday he was too weak to walk. Doctors tell us that's how fast this devastating virus ravages the body.

The 44-year-old was on a stretcher when he arrived in Omaha this weekend. Salia was transported by ambulance to Nebraska Medical Center where physicians said he was in the worst shape than the two other Ebola patients they successfully treated this fall.

Salia got sick November 6th while treating patients in his native Sierra Leone. He spends about four months at a time overseas. The rest of his time he spends with his family in New Carrollton, Maryland. His first Ebola test was negative but four days later he tested positive for the virus. Doctors here describe that as a tragic mistake and one that shows just how little the health community in West Africa know about the disease, because tests taken within the first three days are often inconclusive.

Salia's son was worried but said his dad's a hero, responding to the call to help others. After our interview with the doctor's family, his mother, wife and 12-year-old son flew to Nebraska and were keeping vigil near the hospital.

His death marks the second Ebola death in the United States. Ebola has killed more than 5,000 people in West Africa.

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The DRC outbreak, which began in August, involved a different strain of Ebola from the one that has claimed more than 5,100 lives in west Africa.

"The end of the epidemic... does not mean we are completely out of danger," said DRC Health Minister Felix Kabange Numbi. "Like every other nation, the DRC remains threatened by the possible import of the Ebola virus disease raging in west Africa."

The all-clear in the DR Congo came 42 days after the last recorded case of the virus, which has a 21-day incubation period.

The outbreak raging in west Africa stems from the Zaire species -- the deadliest of the five known distinct species -- which caused the world's first known Ebola outbreak in 1976 in what is now known as the DRC.

Until now that outbreak was the deadliest on record, with 280 deaths.

The disease takes its name from the DRC's Ebola River.

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A surgeon who contracted Ebola while working in Sierra Leone was in extremely critical condition Sunday at a Nebraska hospital, his doctors said.

Dr. Martin Salia, who was diagnosed with Ebola on Monday, arrived in Omaha on Saturday to be treated at the Nebraska Medical Center's biocontainment unit that has successfully treated two other Ebola patients this fall.

Salia is "extremely ill," said Dr. Phil Smith, who is helping oversee Salia's treatment. The 44-year-old Salia might be more ill than the first Ebola patients successfully treated in the United States, according to the hospital.

"This is an hour-by-hour situation," Smith said Sunday, adding that a team of specialists is treating Salia's most serious issues. "We will do everything humanly possible to help him fight this disease."

Ebola has killed more than 5,000 people in West Africa, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leona. Of the 10 people treated for the virus in the U.S., all but one has recovered.

After Salia arrived in Omaha, his ambulance to the hospital was accompanied by a single Nebraska State Patrol cruiser and a fire department vehicle — a subdued arrival in contrast to the August delivery of Dr. Rick Sacra, whose ambulance was flanked by numerous police cars, motorcycles and fire vehicles.

Salia has been working as a general surgeon at Kissy United Methodist Hospital in the Sierra Leone capital of Freetown. It's not clear whether he was involved in the care of Ebola patients. Kissy is not an Ebola treatment unit, but Salia worked in at least three other facilities, United Methodist News said, citing health ministry sources.

Salia, a Sierra Leone citizen who lives in Maryland, first showed Ebola symptoms on Nov. 6 but tested negative for the virus. He eventually tested positive on Monday.

The U.S. State Department said it helped facilitate the transfer of Salia; the U.S. Embassy in Freetown said he paid for the expensive evacuation. The travel costs and care of other Ebola patients flown to the U.S. have been covered by the groups they worked for in West Africa.

Salia's wife, Isatu Salia, said in a telephone interview that when she spoke to her husband early Friday his voice sounded weak and shaky. But he told her "I love you" in a steady voice, she said.

The two prayed together, and their children, ages 12 and 20, are coping, Isatu Salia said, calling her husband "my everything."

Nebraska Medical Center spokesman Taylor Wilson said members of Salia's family were not at the hospital Saturday, but were expected to arrive "in the near future."

Sierra Leone is one of the three West Africa nations hit hard by an Ebola epidemic this year. Five other doctors in Sierra Leone have contracted Ebola, and all have died.

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Lariam (its brand name) is among the anti-malarials being given to the 800 service personnel currently deployed to Sierra Leone on Operation Gritrock.

Fears over the risks of psychosis and suicide prompted the US military to declare it a "drug of last resort" in April 2013, and the US Special Forces Command banned its use more than a year ago. Despite this British soldiers are still being given the drug.

The MoD admitted it continued to prescribe mefloquine as "part of a range of malaria prevention treatments". Officials acknowledge the drug has the potential to cause "side-effects and adverse reactions" and stress the "exact choice of drug" is dependent on factors such as where people are being sent, the health of the individual and their past history.

It is understood that at least one member of the British military in Freetown, Sierra Leone, has suffered "night terrors" and hallucinations after taking mefloquine.

The dangers of the drug were revealed by The Independent more than a year ago. Last night senior politicians and military figures criticised the MoD for continuing to use it. Major General Patrick Cordingley, commander of the Desert Rats in the first Gulf War, said: "I'm appalled to hear the MoD is still allowing it to be prescribed. I have personally suffered the consequences of taking it and in my case it was extremely unpleasant – hallucinating and feeling really quite suicidal for several days. I found it very frightening."

The MoD's decision to continue using the drug "beggars belief" said MP Madeleine Moon, a member of the Commons Defence Select Committee. "Our personnel are on a high-risk mission … they should not be given medication that comes with a known risk of hallucinations."

Lieutenant Colonel Ashley Croft, who has served in the Royal Army Medical Corps for 25 years and is an expert on malaria, said: "I can't see why anybody would be offered mefloquine or why they would even ask for it." He added: "It shouldn't be part of the routine list of drugs that are given to people carrying out responsible and dangerous tasks."

The risk of "neuropsychiatric side-effects" is well-established, according to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which has received more than 2,200 reports of "adverse reactions" to the drug since 1986.

In a letter to doctors in October last year, Roche, makers of Lariam, warned that "hallucinations, psychosis, suicide, suicidal thoughts and self-endangering behaviour have been reported".

An MoD spokesperson said: "Our medical advice is based on the guidelines set out by Public Health England … The MoD continues to prescribe mefloquine as part of the range of malaria prevention treatments."

Mefloquine is not being given to medical staff sent out by Public Health England.