The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday expanded enhanced Ebola entry screening to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, adding a second checkpoint for travelers returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.
Atlanta joins Washington Dulles International Airport, designated earlier this week, as the only two U.S. airports currently conducting the screenings.
DRC Outbreak Raises U.S. Public Health Alert
The World Health Organization has confirmed 82 cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Congo, including seven confirmed deaths, 177 suspected deaths and nearly 750 suspected cases.
Ebola is a severe, often fatal viral hemorrhagic fever transmitted to humans from animals. The virus carries an incubation window of roughly two to three weeks. Early signs include fever, intense muscle pain and headache. As the disease advances, patients can develop vomiting, diarrhea and progressive organ failure. Transmission occurs through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, making healthcare workers and close contacts especially vulnerable.
The CDC’s broader Ebola containment approach extends beyond entry screening to include overseas exit screening, airline illness reporting and post-arrival public health monitoring.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration banned non-citizens who had recently traveled to the Congo, Uganda or South Sudan from entering the United States. Hartsfield-Jackson has previously been used to screen passengers and has established operational procedures in place, the CDC said.
On Friday, WHO’s Africa regional director, Mohamed Yakub Janabi, warned it would be “a big mistake to underestimate” the Ebola outbreak.
Photo courtesy: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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