US President Donald Trump has stated he is concerned about the Ebola outbreak as the US imposes a travel ban on visitors from several affected countries amid a surge of the highly infectious virus.
When quizzed by a reporter about his concerns over the virus, Trump responded: "[I] certainly am. I think that it's been confined right now to Africa, but it's something that has had a breakout."
Any US passport holder who has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the past three weeks will be barred from entering the United States. The ban will last for at least 30 days, according to an order issued by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday.
Ebola is a highly contagious disease transmitted through contact with bodily fluids. It frequently causes fatal haemorrhagic fever, rapid multi-organ failure and internal or external bleeding.
Outbreak Details
More than 100 people have lost their lives and nearly 400 suspected cases have been recorded in the DRC since the outbreak was officially declared on Saturday. Two imported cases were confirmed in neighbouring Uganda, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the epidemic a global health emergency, describing the outbreak as an "extraordinary" event.
International Health Regulations
The Telegraph has reported that the US travel ban technically violates International Health Regulations (IHR). The IHR is a legally binding set of protocols established by the WHO. Washington has stated it will no longer adhere to these protocols following its withdrawal from the WHO in January. Under the regulations, countries are prohibited from introducing health measures that "significantly interfere with international traffic," such as visa restrictions, border closures or flight suspensions, without scientific justification.
At least six Americans are reported to have been exposed to Ebola. Health officials are now weighing up the possibility of evacuating them to quarantine at a US military base in Germany. The facility in question could be the US Army's Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre (LRMC), which served a similar purpose during a previous Ebola outbreak.
This comes just a fortnight after US President Donald Trump threatened to shut down military bases in Germany.
An American missionary doctor became the first confirmed US Ebola case after being exposed to the virus in the DRC, and is currently being evacuated to Germany for treatment. A second US patient is reportedly displaying symptoms of the deadly haemorrhagic fever, while three others are considered to have had "high-risk" contact with infected individuals.
The CDC confirmed it was working with US officials "who are actively coordinating the safe withdrawal of a small number of Americans who are directly affected by this outbreak."
The current outbreak has been identified as the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there is neither an approved vaccine nor a recognised treatment.
An official confirmed following Trump's remarks that there are currently no cases of Ebola on American soil. "We want to keep it that way," she added.
