American troops have broken ground for an Ebola field hospital and the U.S. should have mobile labs up and running in Liberia this week to help care for the spiraling number of people infected with the dreaded disease.
Major Gen. Darryl Williams told journalists in the capital, Monrovia, that he had 175 soldiers and another 30 in other countries setting up logistics to fly forces in. Washington has pledged some 3,000 soldiers to build treatment centers and train local medics.
“The unique capabilities that the American soldiers, the American framework brings… is to be able to bring organization out of chaos,” he said. “Get ready, we’re coming.”
Williams said the U.S. mission was planning to build and supply 17 Ebola treatment units across the country but added that Liberian authorities would still be leading the effort.
Liberia is the hardest hit country in the largest ever Ebola outbreak, which has been linked to more than 3,000 deaths in the region, according to the World Health Organization. At least 3,700 children have lost a parent in the outbreak, the U.N. children's agency said Tuesday, and fear of infection has made it difficult to find people to care for them.
IN-DEPTH
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-NBC News with wire services
