Ebola quarantine plan to send exposed Americans to Kenya facility, official says

The Trump administration planned a Kenya-based centre for Americans exposed to Ebola, an administration official said on Wednesday. The move meant people would not need to fly to the United States. The official said the plan aimed to speed up care for patients leaving the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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An hourslong medical evacuation to the US could be avoided under the plan, the official said. It remained unclear where the site in Kenya would be located. It was also not known if the Kenyan government had approved the facility at that stage.

Kenya facility plan for Ebola patients

The quarantine and treatment site was being set up by the Departments of Defence, State and Health and Human Services. It would be designed for Ebola patients needing to exit Congo quickly, the official said. The official requested anonymity to share the administrations plans.

The official said the centre would handle the full range of Ebola care. Ebola is rare, but it can be severe and often deadly. The official added that some people could be moved elsewhere. Transfers would happen for more advanced treatment when appropriate.

Congo Ebola outbreak challenges and case numbers

Health authorities in Congo had struggled to contain the outbreak, according to the report. The World Health Organisation said the outbreak was outpacing them. The Bundibugyo type of Ebola was confirmed weeks late. Tests had been focused on a more common type.

Suspected Ebola cases in eastern Congo were nearing 1,000, with at least 220 suspected deaths. Congos health ministry on Tuesday said 101 cases have been confirmed. The ministry also said it was looking into over 3,000 possible contacts linked to the outbreak.

Officials faced multiple obstacles in eastern Congo, including armed groups. The area also had many displaced people, which increased movement and risk. Poor infrastructure made access and transport harder. These factors had complicated tracing contacts and delivering care during the Ebola outbreak.

With inputs from PTI