U.S. Plans to Send Ebola Patients to Europe for Treatment
A senior administration official announced on Thursday that if the number of Ebola infections among Americans rises and advanced medical care is required, patients will be referred to Europe instead of being brought back to the United States.
Administration’s Precautionary Measures Amid Ongoing Ebola Outbreak
This move is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to limit the entry of individuals exposed to or infected with Ebola into the U.S. This comes as the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo escalates. A facility in Kenya is already being readied for exposed Americans, set to open on Friday with an initial capacity of 50 isolation beds.
Facility Expansion Plans in Kenya
The Kenyan facility will be further developed to include an isolation and biocontainment unit specifically for patients who test positive for Ebola. However, officials clarified that individuals who fall ill will not remain in Kenya or return to the U.S. Instead, they will be transferred to an undisclosed location in Europe for treatment.
Collaboration Between CDC and State Department
According to government sources, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collaborating with the State Department to identify the facility in Europe that will receive these patients. Currently, the only American infected with Ebola is a surgeon working in Congo, who was flown to Germany for care.
Rationale Behind European Transfers
Officials explained that the decision to send Ebola-infected Americans to Europe aims to reduce transit times, emphasizing that shorter flight durations make for safer patient transfers. “It’s much better to transport patients to a facility where the transit time is shorter than to fly them back to the U.S.,” noted one official.
Travel Restrictions and Health Priorities
During a recent Cabinet meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated the administration’s commitment to preventing any Ebola-infected individuals from entering the country. The CDC has implemented strict travel restrictions that prevent all noncitizens who have been in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past 21 days from entering the U.S.
U.S. Healthcare Preparations in Kenya
The temporary isolation camp is located at Laikipia Air Base in central Kenya, which has received “pre-approval” from U.S. officials. Discussions with Kenya’s president are ongoing. The facility will be staffed by personnel from the U.S. Public Health Service, including members who previously treated Ebola patients during the 2014 outbreak in Liberia.
Current Status of the Ebola Outbreak
The outbreak in Congo, driven by a rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, is intensifying, with the World Health Organization reporting 1,077 cases and 246 fatalities to date. Notably, there is neither a vaccine nor specific treatment available for this strain. Last week, seven Americans exposed to Ebola in Congo were evacuated to Europe; one doctor is currently hospitalized in Germany, while his family remains in isolation there, and another doctor is under observation in the Czech Republic.
As of now, officials remain uncertain about the number of other Americans who may have contracted the virus and whether they will need to be flown to Kenya for care.
