Its analysis on the economic impact of Ebola in Africa, however, said that the overall economic effects of the virus were now subsiding.

‘The probability of spread and the associated economic costs beyond the three most-affected countries are now much lower than previously feared because of the intensive global and national responses to the epidemic over the past several months,’ its report stated.

World Bank president Jim Yong Kim welcomed the signs that the epidemic was beginning to wane but warned the international community that they ‘cannot afford to be complacent’.

Kim, who will discuss the emerging lessons from the Ebola crisis with world leaders in Davos this week, continued: ‘Until we have zero new Ebola cases, the risk of continued severe economic impact to the three countries and beyond remains unacceptably high.’

A World Bank report published in October, warned that the Ebola crisis could cost West Africa a total $32.6bn in lost economic output by the end of thisyear.

Meanwhile, the UK promised a total of £92.5m in new funds to fight the deadly virus.

Of this, Ebola-stricken Sierra Leone will receive £67.5m from the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) to keep treatment facilities running. Some £7m of this will be used to ensure that priorities such as fleet management and surveillance will ensure a quick and effective response to disease hotspots in Sierra Leone.

£25m of the UK funding will go towards a regional preparedness strategy, which will help the international community and other multilateral partners actively support national emergency planning.