Liberia is facing a "serious threat" from the Ebola virus which is "spreading like wildfire" according to its defence minister Brownie Samukai in an address to the UN Security Council. The Salvation Army has joined the fight against this deadly disease through a number of initiatives in the West African nation, where 2,000 people have been diagnosed.

Forty volunteer workers have been recruited to bolster The Salvation Army's mobile medical clinic team in the country. The World Health Organization is concerned that at present "the number of new cases is moving far faster than the capacity to manage them" and there is currently no vaccine available to combat the disease. Prevention is therefore key to the emergency response.

Sanitiser, gloves and mouth guards to protect against the virus have been distributed in 17 communities where Ebola is prevalent. Residents in these areas are particularly susceptible to the disease due to poverty and unhygienic living conditions. Food packages – including rice, beans and cooking oil – have also been offered to families in particular need.

Some 6,500 individuals have benefited to date, including inmates at the national Monrovia Central Prison, where The Salvation Army was requested to extend its distribution by the local authorities.

Additionally, disinfectant and protective clothing has been supplied to medical practitioners tackling the epidemic. This is important in order to ensure their safety as they carry out their duties.

Donations to The Salvation Army's ongoing disaster relief work can be made online through Gifts of Hope: www.salvationarmy.ca/giftsofhope