The number of Ebola-related deaths has risen to 2,296 out of 4,293 cases in West Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday.

Of those deaths, the majority have been recorded in Liberia, with 1,224 deaths. Guinea has registered 555, Sierra Leone and Nigeria have reported 509 and 8 deaths from Ebola respectively.

Those figures, however, are from the weekend, so it is likely the toll is in fact higher.

Meanwhile, a fourth American has contracted the deadly disease in West Africa and has been flown to Atlanta, Georgia to be treated at Emory University Hospital, where two patients - Kent Bradley and Nancy Writebol - have been successfully treated.

Speaking to the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Karen Landgren, head of the United Nations Mission in Liberia said at least 160 health workers had so far been infected.

She said the crisis was growing exponentially. And that health experts agreed on what needed to be done to fight the epidemic:

"Advocacy and community mobilization, prompt removal of suspected EVD cases from communities to case management centers, urgent and safe disposal of bodies and robust contact tracing and active case search are the main elements. This does require going community to community and even door to door to inquire, inform and support."

sb/bw (Reuters, AFP)