WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- On Monday, officials in the U.S. and Britain announced they are sending troops and equipment to West Africa to help fight the Ebola outbreak.
Pentagon officials said they will send a field hospital with 25 beds and staff to Monrovia, Liberia. That hospital will be mainly used to treat health care workers.
Pentagon spokesman Army Colonel Steve Warren did not provide unit details, but said the cost is about $22 million. He also added, that "no U.S. personnel will be providing patient care."
In an interview with Chuck Todd on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday President Obama said he planned to send military assets and personnel to help fight the spread of Ebola in Africa.
The British government will set up a 62-bed field hospital in Sierra Leone and hope to have it up and running in eight weeks.
Also on Monday, the WHO said the virus is "spreading exponentially" in Liberia. The health agency also said 152 health care workers have been infected and 79 have died.
As of Sept. 5, 2,105 people have died due to the Ebola virus in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. Over half, 1,089, died in Liberia.
