An Australian aid worker in isolation following an Ebola scare is pleading for more action to stop the epidemic that has killed thousands in west Africa.
Cairns nurse Sue Ellen Kovack, who was released from hospital on Monday after twice testing negative to Ebola, said focus needed to be on the tens of thousands of people who are directly affected by the virus.
"The international community needs to do so much more right now to stop Ebola in its tracks, before it really gets right out of control," the Red Cross aid worker said.
Her plea comes as more than 30 of Australia's leading health professors lobby for the government to deploy military aid and logistical support to the Ebola-ravaged region.
The Australian government has contributed $18 million to tackle the spread of the virus but Prime Minister Tony Abbott says no troops or logistical support will be sent in.
In a letter to be delivered to Mr Abbott this week, the health academics reject the assertion that it's too risky to deploy Australians to west Africa, where Ebola has killed 4000 people since January.
Public Health Association chief Michael Moore says the Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) has the ability to provide more health personnel and the government can arrange evacuations if necessary.
"We aren't going to send Australian doctors and nurses into harm's way without being absolutely confident that all of the risks are being properly managed and at the moment we cannot be confident that is the case," Mr Abbott said on Sunday.
Ms Kovack, who was hospitalised with a low-grade fever after returning from Sierra Leone, urged fellow medical professionals who are thinking about going to west Africa to tackle Ebola to "please, please" do it.
The Australian Red Cross says both the Australian government and the community need to do more.
"We have an obligation to really up the response so that it can be contained in west Africa while there still is a window of opportunity," international program head Peter Walton said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US has warned that under a worst-case scenario, cases could explode to 1.4 million worldwide by January.
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