Monrovia, Liberia – 10 October 2014

1. Wide of 25-bed hospital site with tents

2. Soldiers walking into tents

3. Mid of soldiers working

3. Mid of soldiers walking around side of tent

4. Mid of USAID and Embassy officials overseeing work by soldiers

5. Various of soldiers working

STORYLINE:

A 25-bed hospital being constructed in Liberia by the US military to care for health workers stricken by the deadly Ebola virus is nearing completion, according to US military officials.

Soldiers were seen working around the clock in the capital Monrovia on Friday to complete the much-anticipated facility to bring respite to health workers who may contract the virus.

The US government has said the facility is meant for healthcare workers working in Ebola Isolation Units across the country, both local and international.

The man heading the 25-bed treatment facility, Rear Admiral (RADM) Scott F. Giberson, US Surgeon General for Public Health Services, said the facility would be ready in a matter of weeks.

The total number of deaths attributed to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has risen above 4,000, the World Health Organisation said on Friday.

The Geneva-based UN agency said that 4,033 deaths confirmed, probably or suspected to have been caused by Ebola have now been recorded.

All but nine of them were in the three worst-affected countries, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Eight of the rest were in Nigeria, with one patient dying in the United States.

As of the end of Wednesday, a total of 8,399 confirmed, probable and suspected cases of Ebola had been reported from seven countries, WHO said.

The three worst-affected countries accounted for 8,376 cases.