WASHINGTON, May 27, (V7N) – The United States is planning to open a quarantine center in Kenya as a deadly Ebola outbreak intensifies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
The facility would primarily serve Americans who test positive for the virus or have been exposed to it, allowing them to quickly leave DRC and undergo quarantine. The plan was awaiting approval from Kenyan authorities as of Tuesday, though no Ebola cases have been confirmed in Kenya.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 10 confirmed deaths, 220 suspected deaths, and 900 suspected cases in DRC since mid-May. The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no vaccine or treatment currently exists. This marks the country’s 17th recorded outbreak.
The news follows the evacuation of a US doctor who contracted Ebola in DRC and was flown to Germany last week. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that lawful US permanent residents who have been in DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the last 21 days are barred from entering the United States.
The move underscores Washington’s efforts to strengthen containment measures while supporting international responses to the outbreak.
END/WD/RH/
