BRUSSELS, October 24 (RIA Novosti) – The European Union plans to increase the financing of the fight against the Ebola virus to one billion euros (some $1.3 billion), the president of the European Council said Friday.
"EU will increase financial help to 1 billion € to fight #Ebola in West-Africa," Herman Van Rompuy said on his Twitter.
On Thursday, the European Commission said it was allocating 24.4 million euros (almost $31 million) on Ebola research, covering five projects, ranging from clinical trials of possible vaccines to testing compounds to treat the disease.
According to the latest report by the World Health Organization (WHO), the current outbreak of Ebola has claimed 4,877 lives as of October 19, with 9,936 confirmed, probable and suspected cases reported.
Ebola cases are reported from Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Spain, the United States, Nigeria and Senegal. Nigeria and Senegal were declared by the WHO free of Ebola on October 20.
Currently, there is no officially approved medication for Ebola. Several countries, including Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan and Canada are working on a vaccine.
