On Monday, the United States announced new measures aimed at preventing the spread of Ebola, which include screening air travelers arriving from affected regions and a temporary halt to visa services.
These actions, communicated by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), were prompted by the World Health Organization’s declaration of the lethal Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as an international health emergency.
“The individual exhibited symptoms over the weekend and received a positive test result late on Sunday,” stated Pillai, noting that efforts are in place to transfer the patient to Germany for medical care.
Additionally, the official indicated that the United States is working to evacuate six more individuals for health monitoring.
According to the CDC, the current evaluation categorizes the immediate threat to the general public in the US as low. However, the agency will continue monitoring the situation closely and may revise public health protocols as new information arises.
Apart from airport screenings, the CDC also announced that entry restrictions will be enforced for non-US citizens arriving from Uganda, DRC, or South Sudan within the last 21 days.
The US Embassy in Kampala has reported a temporary suspension of all visa services, informing affected applicants accordingly.
President Trump expressed his “concern” regarding the outbreak but noted, “I believe it has been contained currently to Africa.”
