With Uganda experiencing cases of the deadly ebola virus, all US-bound passengers from the East African country are to be screened for Ebola.
According to the US Embassy in Uganda, passengers who have been in Uganda in the 21 days before their arrival will be routed to one of five US airports for enhanced Ebola screening, the Embassy said on Thursday.
Starting at 11:59 p.m. ET, Thursday, passengers will be routed to New York’s JFK airport; Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; Chicago O’Hare International Airport; or Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC.
To date in this outbreak, cases have only been confirmed in Uganda and the enhanced screening applies to all passengers, including U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and visa holders (to include Diplomatic and Official visas). The embassy said that, “the risk of Ebola domestically is currently low,”
No airlines fly directly from Uganda to the United States, but “travelers from or passing through affected areas in Uganda can enter the United States on flights connecting from other countries.
“CDC is working closely with the Ministry of Health of Uganda, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other partners to support the response to this outbreak,” according to a health advisory by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There are 63 confirmed and probable cases of Ebola in Uganda, including 29 deaths, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.
“Ten health workers have been infected, and four have died,” he said, adding that four people have recovered from the virus.
Uganda declared an Ebola outbreak last month after a case of the relatively rare Sudan strain was detected in the Mubende district. The country has experienced four Ebola outbreaks.
The deadliest, in 2000, left more than 200 people dead. Ebola is a rare but deadly disease. It has no cure, and there is no approved vaccine, although there is a concerted effort to create one.
