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.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />After the World Health Organisation declared it a global health emergency, China has sent a consignment of medical aid to the region. <br /><br />Eight Chinese medical aid workers have been quarantined in Sierra Leone.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />But for now the main weapons with which to fight the disease are education, isolation units and re-hydration programmes.
