Ebola Outbreak Latest News Today 2015: W.H.O. Vows Reforms To Speed Up Response To Future Virus Outbreaks

The World Health Organization has admitted its slow pace in responding to the deadly Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa and laid out a set of reforms to address the problem.

Over 8,500 people have died because of the outbreak, majority of them from Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.

At a recent emergency session in Geneva, W.H.O. Director-General Margaret Chan said Ebola had taught the world and the said institution what must be done to prevent similar outbreaks in the future.

"This was West Africa's first experience with the virus and it delivered some horrific shocks and surprises," said Dr. Chan.

"The world, including W.H.O., was too slow to see what was unfolding before us. Ebola is a tragedy that has taught the world, including W.H.O., many lessons about how to prevent similar events in the future."

She also said that even if outbreaks would continue to strike and shock people, the world should not be caught off-guard. "Never again should the world be caught by surprise, unprepared," she said.

Although the worst-case scenario has been avoided, she warned: "We must maintain the momentum and guard against complacency."

The reforms to be set in motion include a "dedicated contingency fund to support rapid responses to outbreaks and emergencies."

International coordination will also be boosted and support for countries that need immediate response to emergencies will be increased. Vaccines and drugs would have to enter the market more quickly, she said.

On Friday, Liberia announced that its cases have been brought down to just five confirmed, compared to 500 per week in September. The number of cases of infection also went down in Sierra Leone and Guinea.

According to W.H.O. data published on Jan. 21,​ there have been 8,626 deaths ​out of the 21,689 Ebola infection cases. The total number included confirmed, probable, and suspected cases in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.