As Ebola continues to spread in West Africa with latest information from the World Health Organisation WHO showing that at least 1, 350 people have died from the disease, Wellcome Trust on 21st of August 2014 announced a multi-million pound emergency funding for research into the disease and separate £40 million investment in African research.

It is believed that the research would help contain the epidemic in West Africa and future outbreaks of the infectious disease.

The Ebola, named after the Ebola River in Zaire – dates back to 1976 – when it first emerged in Sudan and Zaire. The virus has been around in West Africa but starting from July this year, the virus has spread rapidly.