The U.S. will begin redirecting travelers from Uganda to five airports to screen for Ebola, as the East African country grapples with an outbreak of a strain of virus for which there is no approved vaccine.
The notice is not a travel ban or suspension on those coming from Uganda, but is being put in place out of an abundance of caution, according to a senior administration official who asked not to be named as the matter has not yet been made public. Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised Uganda’s travel alert level, urging travelers to avoid nonessential travel to the country.
U.S. health officials believe the current level of risk is low for Ebola spreading in the U.S., but also plan to alert clinicians and hospitals to be on the lookout for possible cases. A call with thousands of U.S. health care providers is also planned for Oct. 11. The Biden administration is preparing for a surge in cases in Uganda, and believes the current reported number represents a significant undercount, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not be named discussing matters that aren’t public.
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