In a positive approach and a relative response to the devastating punches the Ebola outbreak has meted on four West Africa nations, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced Wednesday that it has pledged $50 million to help combat the epidemic. The money will be made available to United Nations agencies and international organizations involved in the response effort. It will enable them and national governments to purchase "needed supplies and scale up emergency operations in affected countries,"


The foundation said in a news release, the grant will also be used to develop
therapies, vaccines and diagnostic tests to treat patients and prevent further transmission of the often-fatal disease. "We are working urgently with our partners to identify the most effective ways to help them save lives now and stop transmission of this deadly disease," said Sue Desmond-Hellmann, CEO of the Gates Foundation. "We also want to accelerate the development of treatments, vaccines and diagnostics that can help end this epidemic and prevent future outbreaks."


U.S. and World Health Organization officials have warned that the Ebola virus is spreading faster than health workers in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone can work to contain it. WHO estimates released Tuesday put the West Africa toll from Ebola at more than 2,200 deaths and 4,200 infections, primarily due to a surge of new cases in Liberia, the Associated Press reported.


WHO officials estimate that another 20,000 people could become infected with the virus, which has a mortality rate that can approach 90 percent.

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