The Government is to provide an extra €1 million in funding to battle the Ebola virus in West Africa.

The Minister for Development, Trade and Promotion, Seán Sherlock, announced the allocation in an effort to respond to the outbreak during his two-day visit to Sierra Leone.

The funding will go towards providing extra beds in treatment facilities in Sierra Leone and Liberia and improving treatment centres in both countries. The money will be used by the International Medical Corps.

Ireland has now provided €2.5 million to help battle Ebola.

Minister Sherlock says money is going towards treatment centres and ensuring the virus is contained.

“My visit to Sierra Leone has shown me how grave the situation remains here. The continued spread of Ebola is having a devastating impact on already vulnerable communities across West Africa,” Minister Sherlock said.

“This additional funding will go towards providing beds in an Ebola Treatment Centre with wards for suspected and confirmed cases of Ebola, ambulance services for patient transport, and safe burial at designated sites.

“We need to halt the spread of the disease through awareness-raising while at the same time increasing the capacity of the local health systems to treat those already infected.

“Ireland will continue to work closely with our EU, UN, NGO, and other international partners to improve and co-ordinate our efforts to effectively deal with this crisis.”

An American freelance cameraman working in Liberia has tested positive for Ebola and will be flown back to the US for treatment.

The camerman was in the country documenting the outbreak for NBC News.

Meanwhile, health officials in Texas have ordered four family members who were housing an ebola patient at their home to stay inside.

The infected man - who flew into the US from Liberia - is still being treated in hospital after becoming ill a few days after landing.

Up to 100 people who may have come into contact with him are under observation - 18 are being closely monitored.