According to US Department of State, the latest Ebola outbreak in Uganda presents a “low” risk to Americans, since no Ebola cases have been detected beyond Uganda.
Nonetheless, starting this week, all US-bound travelers of any nationality, including US citizens, who recently visited Uganda, will be tested for symptoms of the Ebola virus upon their arrival in the United States.
All travelers who visited Uganda within the last 21 days, will be re-routed to one of five designated airports around the USA to undergo a special extensive screening, amid a growing outbreak in the African nation.
Travelers, who were recently in Uganda, can expect a temperature check and to filling out a ‘health questionnaire’ about Ebola. They will be asked to provide contact information in the event a case is detected within the US, hoping it will help trace the origin of the infection. It is unclear how long the screenings will remain in place.
Uganda’s health authorities declared an Ebola emergency in late September after the first deadly case there in years.
Since then, at least 60 confirmed and probable infections have been detected, with 28 people killed by the virus in that time, including several healthcare workers.
Ebola primarily spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected person or animal, as well as objects carrying the pathogen.
Symptoms include severe fever and gastrointestinal problems, headaches, joint and muscle pain, as well as internal and external bleeding.
Mortality rates for the rare virus have exceeded 90% in some previous epidemics, though outcomes are thought to be strongly tied to the quality of medical care a patient receives.