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Health Officials Promise Extra Airport Screening for Ebola Health Officials Promise Extra Airport Screening for Ebola
(about 1 hour later)
Faced with growing concern over the spread of the Ebola virus, public health officials on Tuesday promised extra measures to screen airline passengers arriving into the United States. But they remained opposed to more draconian travel restrictions that they say would cause more problems than they would solve.Faced with growing concern over the spread of the Ebola virus, public health officials on Tuesday promised extra measures to screen airline passengers arriving into the United States. But they remained opposed to more draconian travel restrictions that they say would cause more problems than they would solve.
Among the measures under consideration by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, temperatures of at-risk passengers would be checked, or they might be subject to detailed questioning upon their arrival in the United States. Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the agency’s director, provided no specific details, a reminder of how easily the disease can travel and how difficult it is to detect.Among the measures under consideration by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, temperatures of at-risk passengers would be checked, or they might be subject to detailed questioning upon their arrival in the United States. Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the agency’s director, provided no specific details, a reminder of how easily the disease can travel and how difficult it is to detect.
So far, only one case of Ebola has been diagnosed in the United States, but pressure is coming from some members of Congress and from elsewhere for the administration to adopt a more forceful posture.So far, only one case of Ebola has been diagnosed in the United States, but pressure is coming from some members of Congress and from elsewhere for the administration to adopt a more forceful posture.
Dr. Frieden said new measures would be announced in coming days but cautioned against measures that could backfire or prove ineffective in the long run.Dr. Frieden said new measures would be announced in coming days but cautioned against measures that could backfire or prove ineffective in the long run.
“We recognize that whatever we do, until the disease is controlled in Africa, we can’t get the risk to zero here,” Dr. Frieden said. “We may be able to reduce it and we’ll look at every opportunity to do that.”“We recognize that whatever we do, until the disease is controlled in Africa, we can’t get the risk to zero here,” Dr. Frieden said. “We may be able to reduce it and we’ll look at every opportunity to do that.”
He added: “In medicine, one of our cardinal rules is above all do no harm. If we do something that impedes our ability to stop the outbreak in West Africa, it could spread further there, we could have more countries like Liberia, and the challenge would be much greater and go on for a longer time.”He added: “In medicine, one of our cardinal rules is above all do no harm. If we do something that impedes our ability to stop the outbreak in West Africa, it could spread further there, we could have more countries like Liberia, and the challenge would be much greater and go on for a longer time.”
A travel ban to the hardest-hit countries — Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea — would make things worse since it would restrict the movement of international aid workers who are struggling to contain Ebola, and would further cripple countries that are already having a difficult time coping, said Dr. Barry R. Bloom, a specialist in infectious diseases and public health professor at Harvard University. A travel ban to the hardest-hit countries — Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone — would make things worse since it would restrict the movement of international aid workers who are struggling to contain Ebola, and would further cripple countries that are already having a difficult time coping, said Dr. Barry R. Bloom, a specialist in infectious diseases and public health professor at Harvard University.
“Given the fragmented and broken health care systems in these countries, controlling the disease means getting people from the outside to fly in and to come out again,” Dr. Bloom said. “A travel ban on those countries would probably be counterproductive. It would take away the expertise that is needed.”“Given the fragmented and broken health care systems in these countries, controlling the disease means getting people from the outside to fly in and to come out again,” Dr. Bloom said. “A travel ban on those countries would probably be counterproductive. It would take away the expertise that is needed.”
The C.D.C. has helped set up protocols in those three countries to screen passengers upon departure. In the last two months, Dr. Frieden said, local officials have screened more than 36,000 passengers. Of those, Dr. Frieden said, about 77 registered a fever or other symptoms and were not allowed to travel. At this point, he said, none of them were known to have been infected by Ebola.The C.D.C. has helped set up protocols in those three countries to screen passengers upon departure. In the last two months, Dr. Frieden said, local officials have screened more than 36,000 passengers. Of those, Dr. Frieden said, about 77 registered a fever or other symptoms and were not allowed to travel. At this point, he said, none of them were known to have been infected by Ebola.
“Globally, this is going to be a long hard fight,” Mr. Frieden said in a news conference on Tuesday. “We can never forget that the enemy here is a virus. The enemy is Ebola, not countries, not communities, not people. It’s a virus that we do know how to control.” The last time that health officials tried to screen passengers, they met with mixed results, Dr. Bloom said. Confronted with the SARS epidemic in 2003, some countries sought to screen passengers, but in the experience of Australia, Canada and Singapore, these screenings failed to turn up a single SARS case.
The last time that health officials tried to screen passengers, they met with mixed results, Dr. Bloom said. Confronted with the SARS epidemic in 2003, some countries sought to screen passengers, but in the experience of Australia, Singapore and Canada, these screenings failed to turn up a single SARS case. At least 14 Ebola cases have been treated outside West Africa in the current outbreak. Most of those involve health and aid workers who contracted the disease in West Africa and were flown back to their home countries for medical treatment.
At least 14 Ebola cases have been treated outside of West Africa in the current outbreak. Most of those involve health and aid workers who contracted the disease in West Africa and were flown back to their home countries for medical treatment.
The virus has started to raise concerns among those who work on airlines. On Tuesday, union representatives of flight attendants and airport ground workers called for tougher screening. In addition, the United States Coast Guard says it is planning to increase screening procedures for passengers aboard cargo ships coming into American ports from West Africa.The virus has started to raise concerns among those who work on airlines. On Tuesday, union representatives of flight attendants and airport ground workers called for tougher screening. In addition, the United States Coast Guard says it is planning to increase screening procedures for passengers aboard cargo ships coming into American ports from West Africa.
Two people outside of West Africa have been found to have the virus. One was a Liberian man who began showing symptoms four days after arriving in Dallas and the other a Spanish nurse who became ill after treating a missionary in a hospital in Madrid. Two people outside West Africa have been found to have the virus. One is a Liberian man who began showing symptoms four days after arriving in Dallas and the other a Spanish nurse who became ill after treating a missionary in a hospital in Madrid.
But screening passengers at their point of departure has flaws since it relies on them to tell the truth. In the one known Ebola case in the United States, the man infected with the virus had lied about not having any contact with an Ebola patient, the authorities said.But screening passengers at their point of departure has flaws since it relies on them to tell the truth. In the one known Ebola case in the United States, the man infected with the virus had lied about not having any contact with an Ebola patient, the authorities said.
European countries face the same dilemma. The health authorities in Spain have quarantined three people and are monitoring dozens of others who came into contact with the nurse, the first known case of the disease in Europe. In Britain, the health authorities have said that there is a real risk that the virus will be imported but have acknowledged that they have no plan to screen visitors entering the country for Ebola. European countries face the same dilemma. The health authorities in Spain have quarantined three people and are monitoring dozens of others who came into contact with the nurse, the first known case of the disease in Europe. In Britain, the health authorities have said there is a real risk that the virus will be imported but have acknowledged that they have no plan to screen visitors entering the country for Ebola.
More than 7,400 people in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone have contracted Ebola since March, according to the World Health Organization, making this the biggest outbreak on record. More than 3,400 have died so far.More than 7,400 people in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone have contracted Ebola since March, according to the World Health Organization, making this the biggest outbreak on record. More than 3,400 have died so far.
While public officials try to contain the outbreak, they also must deal with a public confidence crisis. Increasing controls at the border may not be entirely effective in preventing Ebola from spreading, but it might calm public fears about the disease.While public officials try to contain the outbreak, they also must deal with a public confidence crisis. Increasing controls at the border may not be entirely effective in preventing Ebola from spreading, but it might calm public fears about the disease.
“Putting another screening filter on our soil makes a certain amount of sense in building public confidence — and public fear and confidence is the major driver of this,” said J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Still, he added, “There is no foolproof solution. They are not going to eliminate the risk.” “Putting another screening filter on our soil makes a certain amount of sense in building public confidence — and public fear and confidence is the major driver of this,” said J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Still, he added: “There is no foolproof solution. They are not going to eliminate the risk.”
Mr. Morrison said the administration could tighten visa requirements from some countries, something that has not been addressed publicly yet.Mr. Morrison said the administration could tighten visa requirements from some countries, something that has not been addressed publicly yet.
“We have to assume that in the next several months there will be a mushrooming of cases and that will increase pressure on Europe and the United States since the exportation of cases will be linked to the mushrooming of the epidemic itself,” Mr. Morrison said. “We are only at the front end of dealing with this.”“We have to assume that in the next several months there will be a mushrooming of cases and that will increase pressure on Europe and the United States since the exportation of cases will be linked to the mushrooming of the epidemic itself,” Mr. Morrison said. “We are only at the front end of dealing with this.”