United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has criticised the travel bans and closing of borders by countries in response to the Ebola outbreak and asked the nations not to incite panic, saying "the only way to stop Ebola is to stop it at its source."

"The gravity of the (Ebola) outbreak deserves our full attention. However, it is also critical to remain calm. We must convey a sense of urgency without inciting panic," Ban told reporters alongside African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, where they had discussed how the three organisations can help efforts to stop the Ebola epidemic unfolding in West Africa.

Pointing out that some countries have imposed travel bans or closed their borders, Ban said such measures will only "isolate the affected countries, and obstruct our response efforts. The only way to stop Ebola is to stop it at its source."