Ebola crisis in Liberia

Ebola crisis: Liberia 'faces huge surge' says WHO

Ebola is spreading exponentially in Liberia, with thousands of new cases expected in the next three weeks, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

Conventional methods to control the outbreak were "not having an adequate impact", the UN's health agency added.

At least 2,100 people have died of the virus in the West African states of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria this year.

The WHO says 79 health workers have died from the virus.

Organisations combating the outbreak needed to scale-up efforts "three-to-four fold", the WHO said.

It highlighted Liberia's Montserrado county, where 1,000 beds were needed for infected Ebola patients but only 240 were available, leading to people being turned away from treatment centres.

Taxis being used to transport infected patients appeared to be "a hot source of potential virus transmission", the WHO said.

Ebola casualties

Up to 5 September

2,105

Ebola deaths - probable, confirmed and suspected

• 1,089 Liberia
• 517 Guinea
• 491 Sierra Leone
• 8 Nigeria

Source: WHO

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The Ebola disease spreads between humans by direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids or organs, or indirectly through contact with contaminated environments.

The current outbreak has mortality rate of about 55%.

Liberia has the highest number of reported cases and deaths, with more than 1,000 casualties so far.