Xi expresses sympathy to African leaders over Ebola outbreak

WHO declares Ebola epidemic an international emergency

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent messages to presidents of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia respectively to show sympathy to the three African countries over the deaths in an outbreak of Ebola disease.

In the messages sent to his Guinean counterpart Alpha Conde, Sierra Leone President Ernest Koroma and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Sunday, Xi expressed sympathy and solicitude for massive human and economic losses caused by the Ebola outbreak in the three countries, and appreciated the governments' efforts to fight against the epidemic.

The Chinese president said that China is willing to support the three countries in containing the spread of Ebola.

Xi said that, at this difficult time, the Chinese government and people will stand together with the governments and peoples of the three nations and are willing to offer anti-epidemic supplies to them.

Calling China and Africa good brothers, friends and partners, Xi said the Chinese government and people will never forget that the African people will always extend timely support and assistance whenever the Chinese people encounter difficulties, Xi said.

The Chinese leader also called on the international community to take action immediately and provide assistances to the nations affected by the disease, so that that they can overcome the epidemic and restore a normal life as early as possible.

The Ebola virus, which spreads through bodily fluids with those infected, has killed 961 people and affected 1,779 others this year in West Africa, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The World Health Organization warned on Friday that the disease is now a "public health emergency of international concern" and called for a coordinated international response to stop and reverse the international spread of Ebola.