As West African nations struggle to cope with the worst outbreak in decades of the deadly Ebola virus, the US is to send samples to Liberia of an experimental drug.
Liberia has recorded the largest number of new deaths in the last three days reaching 29 and has already been forced to quarantine a third province. Across West Africa the epidemic has killed over 1,000 people.
Four countries have been affected by the outbreak- three of which, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia have all declared states of emergency. Nigeria has confirmed one more death bringing the toll there to ten.
After the World Health Organisation declared it a global health emergency, China has sent a consignment of medical aid to the region.
Eight Chinese medical aid workers have been quarantined in Sierra Leone.
So far there is no known cure for Ebola. The experimental drug being developed in the US has been given to two repatriated aid workers who have shown signs of improvement.
But for now the main weapons with which to fight the disease are education, isolation units and re-hydration programmes.
