U.S. Ebola Response: Americans to Receive Care in Europe

Senior officials announced that Americans infected with Ebola will be sent to Europe for advanced medical care rather than returning to the U.S. amid the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

A facility in Kenya for Americans exposed to Ebola is scheduled to open with 50 quarantine beds. It’s expected to expand with isolation and biocontainment units for those testing positive. However, these individuals will be transported to European countries instead of staying in Kenya or returning to the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is collaborating with the Department of State to identify potential European facilities.

Officials cite shorter flight times to Europe as a key reason for this strategy. The first American diagnosed, a surgeon from a Congo hospital, was transported to Germany.

During a Cabinet meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “We cannot and will not allow any cases of Ebola to enter the United States.” As part of preventive measures, the CDC blocks entry for noncitizens who have been in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the last 21 days.

The U.S. has dispatched doctors to both the Kenya facility and the German hospital where the infected American surgeon is being treated. These efforts aim to provide top medical care for American citizens.

Located at Laikipia Air Base in Kenya, the quarantine camp has received forward approval from U.S. authorities, following discussions with the Kenyan president. Staff includes members of the U.S. Public Health Service, some of whom have experience from the 2014 Liberia outbreak.

The World Health Organization reports 1,077 Ebola cases and 246 deaths in Congo, with the outbreak attributed to the rare Bundibugyo strain for which no vaccine or treatment exists.

Recently, seven Americans exposed to Ebola in Congo were flown to Europe, including the doctor treated in Germany. His family is quarantining in Germany, while another American doctor is in the Czech Republic.

Officials are currently not aware of other Americans needing transport to Kenya.