The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that West Africa still lacks proper medical, despite best efforts to stop the Ebola outbreak.

WHO director-general Dr. Margaret Chan said during a conference call that there are now almost 3,500 confirmed cases of Ebola in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

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She said that in the past 21 days alone, the people infected with the virus have increased by 40 percent, adding that the disease is spreading faster that the WHO's control efforts.

More medical volunteers are needed in West Africa to care for the patients. Chan said WHO is trying to get more medical teams to go to the country, but only a few were willing. She also added that a limited number of medical personnel will make it harder to mount a response in keeping with the situation.

Flights going to Ebola-infected nations have also been deferred in a move to stop the spread of the virus, which makes it harder for health workers to get to the region

On Aug. 28, WHO released a new strategy to control the Ebola virus outbreak within six to nine months. The organization is putting its best efforts to develop vaccines and experimental drugs to cure the disease.

Health security assistant director-general Dr. Kenji Fukuda said the majority of the outbreak occur when family members take care of their sick relatives at home because of insufficient beds in treatment clinics. As a result, the virus spreads quickly.

Fukuda said that West Africa lacks vehicles that would remove the bodies of the deceased and is "upsetting the residents."

Meanwhile, people in areas under quarantine are getting furious because they are not receiving enough food, Fukuda said, adding that people are demanding more updates about the virus.

In a statement released by Dr. David Nabarro, a senior UN system coordinator for Ebola, more than US$600 million will be needed to get the situation in West Africa under control.

The amount will be needed to pay for additional medical supplies, health workers and buy vehicles.

"Time is of utmost importance because the virus is racing ahead of efforts to control it," Navarro said.

TagsWest Africa, WHO, UN