Ebola Virus Outbreak 2014 News Update: Obama Calls for 'Global Response' [Video]

As the Ebola outbreak in Africa continues to grow worse, President Barack Obama has pledged America's support to help combat what the White House is acknowledging has become a global crisis. The U.S. will send troops and medical personnel to West Africa in an attempt to prevent the virus from spreading further in Africa or to anywhere else.

"If the outbreak is not stopped now, we could be looking at hundreds of thousands of people infected, with profound political and economic and security implications for all of us," stated the President.

He also said of the current Ebola outbreak in Africa, "we have to act fast - we can't dawdle on this one," and added "this is a global threat, and it demands a truly global response."

USA today reports that the White House has pledged to send at least 3,000 U.S. troops to West Africa to the affected regions.

The president did emphatically state during this latest press conference that the chances of an Ebola outbreak inside the continental United States are "extremely low," though Mr. Obama did state that in order to prevent the outbreak from threatening other regions, appropriate action must be taken now.

The White House's plan will send additional doctors and health care personnel, in addition to portable health care facilities, to the affected areas in West Africa. U.S. staff will also train locals so they can better treat and respond to those infected with the virus.

This new plan will apparently cost at least $763 million over the next 6 months.

According to the president, this new initiative has four goals: control the outbreak; create a global response to the problem; strengthen Africa's public health care; and prevent ancillary effects of the outbreak that could harm other interests in the region.

The WHO reports that over 5,000 people in West Africa have contracted Ebola during this recent outbreak, and over 2,500 people have died as a direct result of the virus. 

So far, the world has been slow to make any coordinated effort to help combat the spread of Ebola in West Africa. The president's plan is an attempt to correct that lack of coordination and effectiveness, and will see U.S. officials work together with others from around the world to try and end what has been a devastating situation for those affected.

Obama stated that the situation in West Africa right now is, "absolutely gut-wrenching." Ebola victims are just sitting, waiting to die right now."