US Redirecting Travelers From Uganda to Five Airports for Ebola Screening
WASHINGTON — The United States is redirecting travelers from Uganda to five U.S. airports to screen them for the Ebola virus and will follow up with them while they are in the country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will conduct a temperature check and risk assessment on anyone who has been in Uganda over the previous 21 days, the incubation time of the deadly Ebola virus, according to administration officials.
State and local public health officials will follow up with them for 21 days after their arrival, the official said.
The airports where the screening will take place are: JFK International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
An advisory from the Los Angeles County Public Health Department offered additional details on how the travel logistics will work.
After an initial screening for the Ebola virus disease at LAX, travelers continuing to other destinations in the U.S. will be sent to the five U.S. airports above.
Travelers with L.A. County as their final destination who did not exhibit any symptoms at the five screening airports will be referred to LA County Public Health by the CDC with contact information for monitoring.
Travelers without a local phone number will be provided a phone.
Upon arrival in L.A. County, Public Health will provide travelers with education and instructions for symptom monitoring for their 21-day incubation period. Travelers will also be provided a phone number to call a public health nurse if they have questions or at the first sign of symptoms.
Because malaria, typhoid and other travel related diseases can be acquired in Uganda and symptoms are non-specific, it is expected that a certain number of travelers will have symptoms that are compatible with Ebola. If travelers report symptoms, arrangements will be made immediately to evaluate them, the advisory said.
The L.A. County Public Health Hospital Outreach Unit is also working with all hospitals to make sure that they are on alert in the unlikely event that a patient walks-in without calling the county public health department first.
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