WATCH: Burnaby company developing Ebola vaccine, but trials halted by FDA

More than 700 people have died in west Africa since the Ebola epidemic began earlier this year, and officials say the disease is outrunning efforts to stop it.

Tekmira, a Burnaby pharmaceutical company is working on producing the world’s first treatment of the Ebola virus, but the clinical human trials were halted by the FDA last month due to safety concerns.

Tekmira refused to comment today but on its website says it’s confident testing will resume before the end of the year.

For the first time, an Ebola patient is being flown from the crisis zone in West Africa to North America for treatment.

The infected patient will be flown to the us on a private jet equipped with a bio-containment unit.

The American doctors infected with the deadly virus are both in stable but serious condition.

At least one is scheduled to be transported here; to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, one of only four hospitals in states equipped to handle such highly contagious patients.

The World Health Organization issuing a dire warning today, saying the outbreak can be catastrophic if the virus is not contained.

More than 700 people have died across Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone — 1,300 more —  are sick.

The mortality rate is up to 90 per cent and there is no cure or vaccine.

As the race for containment continues, Canada is now joining the list of countries warning its citizens not to travel to the affected West African areas unless it’s necessary.

— with files from Rumina Daya