The EU Monday said warned that Ebola outbreak is a threat to international peace and security and called for united, coordinated and increased effort needed in order to contain its outbreak.
EU Foreign Affairs Council, meeting in Luxembourg today, in a statement stressed the importance of "reinforcing regional and international cooperation at appropriate levels, as well as providing assistance to lead nations, NGOs and the United Nations (UN), particularly the World Health Organisation (WHO)." The EU also looks forward to the quick implementation of the regional operational plan on the fight against Ebola by the Economic Community of West African States, it said.
The Council expressed deep concern about the ongoing spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa and the increasing number of people being infected and dying from it.
The number of deaths in the region has exceeded 4500 and the epidemic continues to grow exponentially in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
In addition, the first cases among health workers being infected outside Africa were recently confirmed, it noted.
The EU called on all international donors to respond to the UN appeal for USD 987.8 million and added that the 28-member bloc has already committed over half a billion Euro to help contain the epidemic.