LOS ANGELES, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Monday the country is strengthening travel restrictions to prevent Ebola disease from entering the United States amid ongoing outbreaks in East and Central Africa.
The CDC said in a statement that it is working with the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies to implement measures to reduce the risk of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus entering the United States.
The measures include enhanced public health screening and traveler monitoring for individuals arriving from areas affected by Ebola outbreaks; entry restrictions for non-U.S. passport holders who have been in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), or South Sudan within the previous 21 days; and coordination with airlines, international partners and port-of-entry officials to identify and manage travelers who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus.
Also, the CDC will strengthen port health protection response activities, contact tracing, laboratory testing capacity and hospital preparedness nationwide; and continue deployment of CDC personnel to support outbreak containment efforts in affected regions.
The immediate risk to the general U.S. public remains low at this time, said the agency, adding that it will continue to evaluate the evolving situation and may adjust public health measures as additional information becomes available.
According to the CDC, there is currently no vaccine for the Bundibugyo virus, and treatment mainly consists of supportive care.
As of Monday, there are reports of 11 confirmed cases and 336 suspected cases including 88 deaths in the DRC, as well as two confirmed cases including one death in Uganda.
Patients have experienced classic Ebola disease symptoms like fever, headache, vomiting, severe weakness, abdominal pain, nosebleeds, and vomiting blood, said the agency.
On Sunday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned the outbreak carries a growing risk of regional spread.
