Eradicate Ebola virus by April 15

All three countries most affected by the Ebola virus - Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, pledged at a summit in Conakry on Sunday to eradicate the virus by April 15, reports Patria.

The heads of state of the three countries "pledged to achieve 'zero Ebola infections within 60 days' starting February 15, 2015. They requested the international community to provide the necessary support in achieving this goal" - they said in a statement released by the office of the President of Guinea.

Since the beginning of the epidemic in December 2013, 9,177 people have died from the disease and 22,894 people have been infected in nine countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). All deaths, except for 15, occurred in these three countries.

The epidemic could cost sub-Saharan African countries $6.2 billion this year, the World Bank estimated on January 20.