US tightens airport health measures over Ebola spread risks
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- The US is imposing temporary travel restrictions on some passengers arriving from Uganda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Travelers suspected of having Ebola will be isolated and transferred to designated hospitals for testing and treatment.
The United States has introduced temporary travel and public health measures targeting travelers arriving from countries affected by Ebola outbreaks, as authorities seek to reduce the risk of the virus spreading into the country.
Guidance issued Friday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the measures are intended to strengthen epidemiological monitoring of travelers arriving from affected areas.
Under the CDC guidance, US citizens and nationals who have visited Uganda or South Sudan within 21 days before arriving in the United States will be required to travel through designated US airports for enhanced public health screening.
The requirement also applies to travelers who transited through either country during the same 21-day period.
The CDC said flights may also be subject to additional local requirements imposed by authorities before departure.
For the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the measures are stricter.
Travelers, including US citizens, who have been in the country within the 21 days before their planned journey will not be permitted to board commercial flights bound for the United States.
They have been instructed to remain outside the US until 21 full days have passed since their departure from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Under the protocol, travelers suspected of having Ebola will be immediately transferred to designated hospitals for medical evaluation and testing.
Suspected patients will also be placed under strict isolation while receiving the necessary medical care.
Ebola is a severe viral disease that can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhea and, in serious cases, internal and external bleeding. The virus can spread through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person.
