Ebola Outbreak

Sources: Exposed Americans to be sent to Kenya

The Trump administration is planning to send American citizens exposed to Ebola to a quarantine facility in Kenya, instead of bringing them home to the United States for observation and possible treatment. This is stated by sources for several American media.

According to the Washington Post, the US military is setting up a center in central Kenya that will have a capacity for 250 patients. The plan is for the center to be up and running in a week.

According to the NYT, the aim is to keep potentially infected Americans away from the United States.

The White House has not commented, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that the administration “cannot allow” any cases of Ebola in the United States.

The Kenyan government has not confirmed the plans, but criticism from the country’s opposition is already fierce.

“Taking Americans exposed to Ebola to Kenya, for whatever reason, is high treason because it puts everyone at risk of being wiped out,” opposition lawyer Miguna Miguna wrote in a social media post, quoted by the NYT.

The Ebola outbreak — it’s about the matter

• The latest Ebola outbreak in Congo-Kinshasa is caused by the Bundibugyo variant, which lacks both a vaccine and treatment.
• The outbreak has spread to Uganda, where several cases have been confirmed.
• The WHO has declared an international emergency and warned that the hidden toll is high and that the infection is spreading faster than healthcare can handle it.
• Armed conflict, lack of infrastructure and distrust of authorities are hampering efforts and have led to attacks on Ebola centers.
• Several neighboring countries have introduced border controls, including the United States and Thailand, which have tightened entry rules to prevent further spread.