The outbreak of Ebola virus in West Africa has captured attention—and stoked anxieties—around the world. With 887 confirmed deaths as of August 4, it is the deadliest outbreak of the virus in history. The World Health Organization (WHO) and national governments have implemented surveillance, containment and quarantine measures in several countries. At the same time, global businesses are assessing how the outbreak may affect their ability to continue operations while also protecting the health and well-being of their employees.

At the moment, most companies only face limited effects from the outbreak; though those operating in remote regions with high infection rates have had to take considerable precautions. Compared to the global H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, the measures in place to stem the spread of Ebola are relatively modest thus far. The WHO has not recommended any travel or trade restrictions on any of the affected countries. Instead, border closings and health screening requirements tend to be localized and restricted to the West Africa region. However, airports welcoming long-haul flights from West Africa have shown heightened caution, and may isolate passengers who demonstrate Ebola-like symptoms. British Airways announced this week that it would halt flights to Sierra Leon and Liberia for the rest of the month.

As the outbreak progresses over the next several weeks, businesses will likely feel an increasing impact. To date, the outbreak has been limited to Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, but the WHO warns that infections will probably spread to nearby countries. Porous borders, weak surveillance, and insufficient and inadequate health services will facilitate this spread. Any confirmed cases in the wider West Africa region, or especially outside sub-Saharan Africa, could trigger more significant surveillance and screening at international airports. The spread would also cause organizations to re-evaluate their own measures for protecting personnel.

Businesses may also be adversely affected should the outbreak lead to social or political unrest. Limited government and healthcare capacities in the affected region, combined with misunderstanding and stigma around the Ebola virus, has aggravated public fear and frustration. The most notable incident to date occurred on July 25, when Sierra Leonean police used tear gas to disperse a large demonstration outside the main Ebola treatment clinic in Kanema in the east of country. Although unrest remains a limited risk for businesses, companies should monitor the environments where they are operating for signs of growing instability.

For most global organizations, the likelihood that the Ebola outbreak will pose a major business interruption remains low. However, it does provide an opportunity to review business continuity plans. Everything from travel security protocols to knowledge transfer systems to redundancy in supply chains can help organizations continue to function should Ebola—or some other disease—develop into a more substantial disruption.

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