Aussie medics close to Ebola deployment

Australian medical personnel are expected to leave for west Africa to help combat Ebola, following pressure from the UK and US.

A team of up to 16 health workers will be sent as early as next week, as Australia faces mounting pressure from Britain and America to send doctors to the affected region, the West Australian reports.

It's understood only volunteers will be accepted and defence personnel will not be deployed, and that a deal with the UK surrounding treatment of those health workers could soon be finalised.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed that talks with partner nations about what access Australian health workers could receive should they contract the virus had been very positive.

The UK and US are building first-class field hospitals in Sierra Leone and Liberia respectively, to treat their medics in-country if they become ill.