Ebola epidemic: United States imposes border controls

United States strengthens border checks against Ebola virus

• On Monday, the United States announced tightened health checks at their borders against the Ebola virus.
• Washington will also temporarily restrict the issuance of visas to foreigners who have traveled to countries affected in Africa.

The United States announced on Monday the establishment of border controls against the Ebola virus, which has caused an epidemic affecting an American citizen in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Washington will implement health checks for air travelers from affected countries in Africa and temporarily restrict visa issuance for foreigners who have traveled to these areas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading health agency in the United States.

The entry restrictions will apply to foreign nationals who have traveled to Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), or South Sudan in the past 21 days. The US Embassy in Kampala has announced the temporary suspension of all visa services and informed relevant applicants.

These announcements come as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo an international public health emergency.

Immediate “low” risk for the American population

Over the weekend, the CDC stated they were working on the “safe repatriation of a small number of Americans directly affected by this epidemic.”

An American citizen contracted the virus “while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” the CDC announced on Monday. This individual showed symptoms over the weekend and tested positive late Sunday, arrangements are being made to transfer them to Germany for treatment, said Satish Pillai, who manages Ebola within the CDC. “Currently, the CDC considers the immediate risk to the American population to be low, but we will continue to assess the situation and could adjust public health measures based on new information available,” the health agency stated in a press release.

Donald Trump “concerned”

Asked about Ebola by the press at an event at the White House on healthcare, Donald Trump said he is “concerned.” “I think it (Ebola) has been contained for the moment in Africa, but it’s something that has experienced an outbreak,” the US president said.

There is no specific vaccine or treatment for the strain responsible for the spread of this highly contagious disease. According to the latest figures released by the DRC’s Minister of Health on Sunday, 91 deaths are linked to the current resurgence of cases. Around 350 suspected cases have been reported, and most of the infected individuals are between 20 and 39 years old.