U.S. Plans Ebola Quarantine Facility in Kenya
Multiple CDC officials confirmed to CBS News on Wednesday that the U.S. is establishing a quarantine facility in Kenya for Americans exposed or infected with Ebola.
A Trump administration official told CBS News that the facility aims to provide high-quality care for those needing to quickly exit Congo and quarantine without lengthy return trips to the U.S.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the effort to set up the Kenya facility.
A former CDC official warned that keeping U.S. citizens in Kenya, which lacks proper Level 4 containment facilities or Ebola experience, would be unethical and irresponsible.
Over 230 deaths from Ebola have been recorded in Congo’s latest outbreak.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a Cabinet meeting that government agencies are working to contain the outbreak.
The official stated that the facility will enable those who contract Ebola to receive lifesaving care quickly without spending over 12 hours on a medevac flight. Treatment capabilities include critical care needs, with each case evaluated for forward transport as appropriate.
An American doctor infected with Ebola while working in Congo said he’s feeling cautiously optimistic after being evacuated and treated at a hospital in Germany.