The World Health Organization on Friday (Aug 8) declared the Ebola epidemic sweeping across western Africa, where it has already killed nearly 1,000 people, an international health emergency.

The UN health body said its emergency committee, which includes global medical and policy experts, had declared the deadliest known outbreak of the Ebola virus a "public health emergency of international concern".

The outbreak first began in Guinea in March 2014. Since its initial outbreak, the virus has spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. The outbreak is the most severe Ebola virus outbreak recorded in regard to the number of both human cases and fatalities.

(With inputs from AFP)