Three major US airports have launched Ebola screenings for passengers arriving from Central and East Africa as the deadly Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak spreads. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has recorded over 900 suspected cases including at least 220 deaths.
Meanwhile, European health officials have raised alarms after possible cases appeared in Italy.
Airport Screening Increases
Since 24 May, Washington Dulles, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, and George Bush Intercontinental airports in Houston have been screening travellers from affected regions in the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan under strict measures. The CDC has banned entry to foreign nationals who spent time in these countries within 21 days prior to travel, while US citizens undergo health checks, including temperature scans and questionnaires.
Strict Health Protocols
Houston officials have confirmed that travellers exhibiting symptoms are immediately isolated and transferred to specialist hospitals. Those without symptoms must submit contact details for monitoring.
So far, seven local residents screened after travel to Uganda have tested negative for Ebola.
European Health Alerts
In Italy’s Lombardy region, two aid workers recently returned from Uganda have been admitted with symptoms matching Ebola. They remain in specialist hospital isolation as authorities investigate.
Officials have stated there is no confirmation it is Ebola, but caution remains high.
Deadly Bundibugyo Strain
The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo Ebola strain, which has no approved vaccine or specific treatment and carries an approximate 50% fatality rate. The virus transmits through direct contact with bodily fluids and can incubate for up to 21 days before symptoms emerge.
Scientists at the University of Oxford are fast-tracking vaccine development.
Regional Risks Rise
The African Centres for Disease Control warns that eight neighbouring countries face increased risk, though they are not yet subject to US travel restrictions. The outbreak started after a delay in confirming Ebola in eastern DRC, during which the virus spread widely, killing several health workers and Red Cross volunteers involved in containment.
