UN chief calls for more support to fight Ebola

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called leaders of some countries and organizations to urge more support in the fight against the deadly Ebola, a spokesman said on Monday.

"He spoke to UK Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, Cuban President Raul Castro and President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric at a daily news briefing.

Ban also spoke to the International President of Medecins sans Frontieres, Joanne Liu, thanking the independent medical organization for its hard work and discussing how the international community can further support its efforts in West Africa, Dujarric said

"The Secretary-General, in his calls to the world leaders, welcomed their support and underscored the urgent need to increase the support, including the need for more medical teams, transportation and funding to help communities affected by the epidemic," he added.

According to the latest report of the World Health Organization (WHO), the total number of Ebola cases now stood at 3,944 and deaths at 2,079 in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, countries identified as "those with widespread and intense transmission."

The fatality rate is 53 percent and it ranges from 39 percent in Sierra Leone to 64 percent in Guinea, the report showed.