West African leaders agreed on Friday to take stronger measures to try to bring the worst outbreak of Ebola under control and prevent its spread outside the region, including steps to isolate rural communities ravaged by the disease.

The World Health Organisation and medical charity Medicines Sans Frontieres said on Friday that the outbreak, which has killed 729 people in four West African countries, was out of control and more resources were urgently needed to deal with it.

WHO Chief, Margaret Chan told a meeting of the presidents of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, that the epidemic was outpacing efforts to contain it and warned of catastrophic consequences in lost lives and economic disruption if the situation is not brought under control.

"The presidents recognise the serious nature of the Ebola outbreak in their countries," Chan said after the meeting. "They are determined to take extraordinary measures to stop Ebola in their countries."

In a communique issued after the meeting, the leaders agreed to deploy security forces to isolate the frontier regions where 70 percent of the 1,323 cases have been detected.

They banned the transportation of anyone showings signs of disease across borders, and pledged to introduce strict controls at international airports to prevent the virus spreading outside the region.

The three leaders also agreed to step up efforts to protect local healthcare workers and encourage them to return to work.
With healthcare systems struggling to cope with the highly infectious disease, which requires rigorous precautions to stop its spread, more than 60 medical workers have lost their lives, hampering efforts to tackle the outbreak.

Liberia has already put in place tough measures including closing all schools and some government departments. Sierra Leone on Wednesday declared a state of emergency and called in troops to isolate Ebola victims.

However, Friday's agreement marked a reversal by Guinea, which had previously resisted taking tough steps, saying the disease was under control there.

"Somewhat drastic measures will be taken," Guinea's Cooperation Minister Moustapha Koutoub Sano said. "These (border) prefectures and communities will be isolated."

(Reuters)