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The World Health Organization said Wednesday that 5,420 people had so far died of Ebola across eight countries, out of a total 15,145 cases of infection, since late December 2013, according to a press release.

On last Friday, the UN health agency had reported 5,177 deaths and 14,413 cases. 

According to WHO, the number of deaths is likely far higher, as the fatality rate in current outbreak is known to be around 70 percent. 

The deadliest Ebola outbreak continues to affect countries like Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the most.

Guinea, where the outbreak began late last year, counted 1,192 deaths and 1,971 cases.

In Sierra Leone, 1,250 people had died as of November 16 out of 6,073 cases, WHO said in  press release.

Data from Nigeria and Senegal remained unchanged, and both countries have been declared Ebola free, the press release added.

WHO added in the statement that a total of 568 healthcare workers were known to have contracted the virus, and 329 of them had died.