Reuters – Seven American humanitarian workers have entered a 21-day quarantine at a newly established bio-isolation facility in Kenya after returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where they were involved in the response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak, according to Reuters.
The move follows new U.S. travel restrictions requiring American citizens returning from Ebola-affected areas in the DRC to spend three weeks in a third country before being allowed to re-enter the United States.
The quarantine facility, located at an air force base in central Kenya, is designed to accommodate up to 50 people and is intended for asymptomatic U.S. citizens who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus while working in the DRC or neighboring Uganda.
First Group to Use the Facility
Reuters reported that the seven aid workers are believed to be the first individuals admitted to the newly established isolation center, which has become the subject of public controversy and legal challenges in Kenya.
The facility has faced opposition from some Kenyan citizens who argue that hosting individuals potentially exposed to Ebola could pose unnecessary public health risks. A Kenyan court previously ordered construction work to be suspended pending a final legal ruling, although reports indicated that work on the project continued.
Samaritan’s Purse Confirms Quarantine
Franklin Graham, President and CEO of the Christian humanitarian organization Samaritan’s Purse, confirmed that seven members of the organization’s Disaster Assistance Response Team are currently under quarantine.
According to Graham, none of the staff members have shown symptoms of Ebola, but they are completing the mandatory 21-day quarantine period as a precautionary measure required by Kenyan authorities.
U.S. Officials Describe the Measure as Precautionary
A U.S. State Department official told Reuters that the group voluntarily entered the Kenyan facility for medical observation after serving on the front lines of the Ebola response in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The official said Kenyan authorities authorized the group’s admission to the facility, where they are being monitored by clinicians from the U.S. Public Health Service, emphasizing that the decision was made purely out of an abundance of caution.
Kenyan government officials had not publicly commented on the group’s arrival at the time of reporting.
Some Workers Had Direct Contact with Ebola Patients
Reuters reported that while some members of the group provided direct medical care to Ebola patients at treatment centers operated by Samaritan’s Purse in the DRC, others were involved in construction and logistical support activities without direct contact with infected individuals.
Sources familiar with the matter indicated that one member of the group may have experienced a higher-risk exposure, although all seven remain under close medical observation. Kenyan authorities are also restricting the group’s movement outside the quarantine facility during the observation period.
Ebola Outbreak Continues to Spread
The Ebola virus is transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or animals and can cause severe, often fatal illness.
Samaritan’s Purse is among the largest international humanitarian organizations supporting Ebola response operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, working closely with the World Health Organization to help contain the outbreak.
Earlier this month, one American staff member from the organization who contracted Ebola was transferred to a hospital in Germany for specialized medical treatment.
Bundibugyo Strain Remains a Major Concern
According to Reuters, there is currently no approved vaccine or proven treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus responsible for the current outbreak.
The World Health Organization has reported that the outbreak has claimed at least 828 lives since mid-May and continues to spread, with many infections believed to remain undetected.
Franklin Graham said the Kenyan bio-isolation facility is equipped with advanced medical capabilities and expressed support for treating any American Ebola patients there should additional infections occur.
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