Get you up to speed: U.S. setting up Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya, officials say
The U.S. is establishing a quarantine facility in Kenya for Americans exposed to or infected with Ebola, according to officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The facility will support asymptomatic individuals and provide necessary care without the risks associated with lengthy transport back to the U.S.
The quarantine facility in Kenya is being established in collaboration with the Kenyan government and aims to provide immediate high-quality care for Americans exposed to Ebola. Currently, three airports in the U.S. are screening international passengers from affected regions, with additional screening planned for New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport starting Friday.
The U.S. is establishing a quarantine facility in Kenya for Americans exposed to Ebola, aimed at providing prompt medical care and reducing the risks associated with lengthy medical evacuations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that multiple government agencies are actively working to prevent any Ebola cases from entering the United States.
What remains unclear — It is not specified how many Americans will be housed at the quarantine facility in Kenya.
U.S. to establish Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya for citizens exposed to virus
The U.S. is in the process of setting up a quarantine facility in Kenya for Americans who were exposed to Ebola or infected with the deadly illness, multiple officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed to WTX US News on Wednesday.
A Trump administration official told WTX US News the facility is designed to provide access to high-quality care for Americans who would need to quickly get out of Congo and quarantine without the risks of a lengthy trip back to the U.S.
Another administration official told WTX US News the government is planning for a facility that would serve “asymptomatic individuals” who may have been exposed to Ebola, in cooperation with the Kenyan government.
The effort to set up the Kenya facility was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
American citizens will not be able to return to the U.S. until they are cleared from quarantine, CDC officials told WTX US News.
A former CDC official who previously worked on the Ebola response told WTX US News, “It would be unbelievably unethical and irresponsible to maroon Americans, given Kenya doesn’t have a proper Level 4 containment facility or much experience” dealing with Ebola.
More than 230 people in Congo are believed to have died from Ebola in the latest outbreak of the disease.
In the U.S., three airports — Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C., and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport — are screening international passengers who have recently been in Congo, South Sudan or Uganda for Ebola. New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport is expected to start screening international passengers Friday.
At the White House on Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a meeting of President Trump’s Cabinet that multiple government agencies were working hard to contain the outbreak to where it’s currently located.
“We cannot and will not allow any cases of Ebola to enter the United States,” Rubio said.
The first Trump administration official said the Kenya facility will enable Americans in the region who contract Ebola to receive lifesaving care as quickly as possible without having to spend over 12 hours on a medevac flight. Treatment capabilities at the facility are expected to be able to care for the full spectrum of the disease, including critical care needs, though each case will be evaluated for forward transport for more advanced care as appropriate in order to maximize patient outcomes, the Trump administration official said.
An American doctor was infected with Ebola while working with a medical missionary organization in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After being evacuated, he said last week he’s feeling “cautiously optimistic” as he fights the virus at a hospital in Germany.