As the fight against Ebola intensifies with infection rates and deaths spiking, international response is gathering pace.

Just days after an 85-member team of British military medics and engineers arrived to respond to the epidemic, 162 Cuban doctors and nurses will arrive today, according to deputy health minister, Madina Rahman.

She said an advance team had already been here and that the arrival of the bulk today would help bolster the fight to beat back the disease which has claimed over 600 lives.

Cuba is reputed to have some of the best-trained medics in the world especially in infectious diseases. With Britain and China setting up treatment centres across the country in the coming weeks and sending medics as well, it is hoped Ebola would be put under control early than feared.

In addition to those already in country the Cuban will consist of 100 nurses, 50 doctors, 3 epidemiologists, 3 intensive care specialists, 3 infection control specialist nurses and 5 social mobilisation officers, all overseen by epidemiologist Dr. Jorge Juan Delgado Bustillo.

WHO says all of the Cuban health workers have more than 15 years’ experience and have worked in other countries facing natural disasters and disease outbreaks. Some of the workers have already been working in Sierra Leone and in Guinea for some years and are willing to continue their service.

They will stay around for 6 months, working in shifts in smaller teams in Ebola treatment centres and community clinics.