The Australian-managed Ebola treatment centre in Sierra Leone has opened overnight, allowing Australian workers – through a private contractor – to help ease the suffering as the outbreak continues.

The death toll from the West African Ebola outbreak is now over 6,500, according to the World Health Organisation.

Figures on the WHO website show that 18,188 cases have been recorded in the worst-affected nations; Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia is now managing the centre on its own, and would start with just a few patients.

“Patients will be referred to the centre and in line with best practice it will commence operations with five beds,” Ms Bishop said.

“Operations will be gradually scaled up to full capacity at 100 beds under strict guidelines to ensure infection control procedures are working effectively and trained staff and safety practices are in place.”

Following strong criticism that the Government had not done enough in response, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced Australia would commit $20 million to the treatment centre last month.

Ms Bishop said Australia’s contribution for the centre is now up to $25 million.

“I welcome New Zealand's contribution to the facility of NZ$2 million. Australia's total contribution to the Ebola response is now at $45 million,” she said.

Sierra Leone has overtaken Liberia as the nation with the highest rate of newly recorded infections, with 1,319 new cases in the last three weeks.

“Ebola transmission rates remain very high in Sierra Leone, especially in and around Freetown, where the Hastings Airfield Ebola Treatment Centre is located,” Ms Bishop said.

“Treatment and isolation capacity continues to be a critical component of the international response."

Right now the centre is staffed by a cohort of Australian clinical staff, they will soon be joined by a second group of Australians who left for Sierra Leone on the weekend.