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As Ebola outbreak grows in Uganda, US ramps up preparedness plans
By Jacqueline Howard, CNN
Updated 8:21 AM EST, Wed November 16, 2022
Uganda has been struggling with an Ebola outbreak for months, and although there have been no suspected or probable Ebola cases identified in the United States, federal and local health officials are working together to prepare for the possibility that the virus will spread across the Atlantic.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response have conducted tabletop exercises with officials from five jurisdictions where airline passengers arriving in the US from Uganda are being funneled, the CDC confirmed Monday.
The agency said the exercises involved plans for managing a suspected case in each jurisdiction under three scenarios: when the potential patient is identified at a funneling airport, is identified during state monitoring of returned travelers from Uganda or seeks care at a hospital.
The general attitude among public health officials in the US is that as the outbreak in Uganda continues, it raises the likelihood of the virus spreading to the United States, said Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.
“It might be just a matter of time,” Freeman said. “That is why every minute right now is being spent to ramp up the preparedness and response in anticipation of that single event occurring. But the more that we put our time and effort into this stage of the crisis, the better off we’ll be when we do get that first case.”
Airline passengers arriving to the US from Uganda will be routed through five airports for Ebola screening
Officials at the CDC have been conducting their “tabletop exercises” with local health departments deemed to be at higher risk of seeing a case in their jurisdiction, Freeman said.
“Jurisdictions where the highest probability of cases may be are either because they represent Ugandan communities in this country, or they’re near those airports where Uganda travelers are being channeled,” she said....
As of Wednesday, 824 travelers have been screened at O’Hare airport in Chicago, according to the department.
In Washington, health officials have monitored 100 travelers, of whom “19 are currently being monitored,” DC Health said Tuesday.
:tiphat:https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/16/heal...rm=link&utm_content=2022-11-17T05:30:07
By Jacqueline Howard, CNN
Updated 8:21 AM EST, Wed November 16, 2022
Uganda has been struggling with an Ebola outbreak for months, and although there have been no suspected or probable Ebola cases identified in the United States, federal and local health officials are working together to prepare for the possibility that the virus will spread across the Atlantic.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response have conducted tabletop exercises with officials from five jurisdictions where airline passengers arriving in the US from Uganda are being funneled, the CDC confirmed Monday.
The agency said the exercises involved plans for managing a suspected case in each jurisdiction under three scenarios: when the potential patient is identified at a funneling airport, is identified during state monitoring of returned travelers from Uganda or seeks care at a hospital.
The general attitude among public health officials in the US is that as the outbreak in Uganda continues, it raises the likelihood of the virus spreading to the United States, said Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.
“It might be just a matter of time,” Freeman said. “That is why every minute right now is being spent to ramp up the preparedness and response in anticipation of that single event occurring. But the more that we put our time and effort into this stage of the crisis, the better off we’ll be when we do get that first case.”
Airline passengers arriving to the US from Uganda will be routed through five airports for Ebola screening
Officials at the CDC have been conducting their “tabletop exercises” with local health departments deemed to be at higher risk of seeing a case in their jurisdiction, Freeman said.
“Jurisdictions where the highest probability of cases may be are either because they represent Ugandan communities in this country, or they’re near those airports where Uganda travelers are being channeled,” she said....
As of Wednesday, 824 travelers have been screened at O’Hare airport in Chicago, according to the department.
In Washington, health officials have monitored 100 travelers, of whom “19 are currently being monitored,” DC Health said Tuesday.
:tiphat:https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/16/heal...rm=link&utm_content=2022-11-17T05:30:07