United Nations, October 16 (RHC)-- The UN Security Council has called on the international community to step up its efforts to curb the spread of the deadly Ebola outbreak. The 15-member council issued a unanimous statement on Wednesday, saying that the world "has failed to date to adequately address the magnitude of the outbreak and its effects."

Warning that Ebola is posing a serious threat to the world peace and security, the Security Council also urged the international community to "accelerate and dramatically expand the provision of resources and financial and material assistance" to the West African countries most devastated by the fatal virus.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama called on the world leaders to take serious measures to stop the epidemic. Following a crisis meeting with his cabinet officials over Ebola, Obama said: "If we are not responding internationally in an effective way" then we could have problems."

On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Ebola's mortality rate had reached 70 percent, adding that the epidemic's infection rate is likely to exceed 10,000 new cases per week in the next two months.