The United States (US) government has announced stringent measures for travelers from Uganda in a health alert issued on Thursday, October 06, 2022.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have recommended “enhanced screening at designated US airports’ for all people travelling from Uganda due to the Ebola outbreak in the impoverished but oil-rich East African nation.
The airports designated for this screening are: New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Atlanta (ATL), Chicago (ORD), and Washington (IAD).
The screening began at 11:59 p.m. ET on October 06, according to the US Embassy in Kampala.
“As of October 6, at 11:59 p.m. ET, all U.S.-bound passengers who have been in Uganda in the 21 days prior to their arrival will be routed to one of the following designated airports: New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Atlanta (ATL), Chicago (ORD), or Washington (IAD) for enhanced screening,” read a notice issued Thursday.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will apply new layers of screening at these five U.S. airports in response to the Ebola outbreak in Uganda.”
The enhanced screening will not only apply to Ugandans but all passengers flying from Uganda to the US where the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) risk is low according to CDC’s assessment.
“To date in this outbreak, cases have only been confirmed in Uganda and no suspected, probable, or confirmed cases of Ebola have been reported in the United States, and the risk of Ebola domestically is currently low,” said the US Embassy in Kampala.
“The enhanced screening applies to all passengers, including US citizens, lawful permanent residents, and visa holders (to include Diplomatic and Official visas).”
Since the outbreak of the viral haemorrhagic disease was confirmed last month, Ebola has killed about 10 people. The disease killed a health worker a few days ago, putting the official number of health workers who have succumbed to the current Ebola outbreak at four. (Read Story Here).
Meanwhile, some Ugandans have been confusing Ebola with witchcraft, prompting a warning. (Read Story Here).
You can see the amount of money Dr Jane Ruth Aceng’s Health Ministry officials want Museveni government to give them to ably kick Ebola out of Uganda Here.
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