Chinese lab team heads for Sierra Leone to curb Ebola epidemic

Members of a Chinese laboratory team wave before departing for Sierra Leone to help West African countries to contain the Ebola epidemic, in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 16, 2014. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

A 59-member Chinese laboratory team departed for Sierra Leone on Tuesday in the country's latest efforts to help West African countries to contain the Ebola epidemic.

The team from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention will be based at the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital in the outskirts of the capital, Freetown, according to China's National Health and Family Planning Commission.

Providing equipment as well as expertise, they will carry out lab screening and observation to help Sierra Leone to improve lab testing, the commission said.

China had sent 115 medical experts to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in spite of a high risk of infection from Ebola.

In addition to 30 million yuan in aid last month, the Chinese government announced last week it would provide a further 200 million yuan (32.54 million US dollars) in humanitarian aid to African countries and international organizations to help control Ebola.

According to the latest report from the World Health Organization, 2,400 out of 4,784 confirmed Ebola cases have resulted in death.