Posts
In a turning of tables on Ebola monitoring, the East
African nation of Rwanda is screening all visitors
from the United States and Spain for the deadly virus.
The U.S. Embassy in Rwanda posted the following
notice on its website today.
"On October 19, the Rwandan Ministry of Health
introduced new Ebola Virus Disease screening
requirements. Visitors who have been in the United
States or Spain during the last 22 days are now
required to report their medical condition -- regardless
of whether they are experiencing symptoms of Ebola --
by telephone by dialing 114 between 7:00 a.m. and
8:00 p.m. for the duration of their visit to Rwanda (if
less than 21 days), or for the first 21 days of their visit
to Rwanda. Rwandan authorities continue to deny
entry to visitors who traveled to Guinea, Liberia,
Senegal, or Sierra Leone within the past 22 days."
The incubation period of Ebola is generally accepted
by health officials as 21 days.
The notice appears to be in response to recent cases in
both countries. In addition to the three people
diagnosed with the deadly virus in Dallas, an
additional five patients transported from West Africa
have received treatment for Ebola on American soil.
Spain has seen three cases, according to health
officials.
"Rwanda is wasting incredible resources screening for
something that doesn't exist, an American traveler
with Ebola," said Dr. Richard Besser, chief health and
medical editor for ABC News.
Meanwhile, a rally cry to close American borders to
travelers from Ebola-stricken countries appears to have
hit home. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security
announced travel restrictions today in the form of
additional screening and protective measures.
Beginning Wednesday, all travelers to the Unites
States whose travel originates in Liberia, Sierra Leone
or Guinea -- the countries hardest hit by the ongoing
Ebola outbreak -- will be required to fly into one of the
five U.S. airports that have the enhanced screening
and additional resources in place: New York’s JFK,
Newark, Dulles, Atlanta and Chicago, Homeland
Security officials said.
Besser said the DHS move makes sense if you are
going to do entry screening.
"Given we are doing it, this increases to 100% the
travelers coming here who will get screened," Besser
said.
"However, remember, entry screening would not have
picked up the one traveler who has ever introduced
Ebola anywhere. His symptoms did not develop until
he had been here for four days," Besser said, referring
to Thomas Eric Duncan.
No comments