CDC surge scaling up response in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia
\nFor Immediate Release: Thursday, July 31, 2014
Contact: Media Relations
(404) 639-3286
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today issued a warning to avoid nonessential travel to the West African nations of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. This Level 3 travel warning is a reflection of the worsening Ebola outbreak in this region.
\nCDC is rapidly increasing its ongoing efforts in the three nations. CDC disease detectives and other staff are on the ground:
\n\u201cThis is the biggest and most complex Ebola outbreak in history. Far too many lives have been lost already,\u201d said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. \u201cIt will take many months, and it won\u2019t be easy, but Ebola can be stopped. We know what needs to be done. CDC is surging our response, sending 50 additional disease control experts to the region in the next 30 days.\u201d
\nCDC expects its efforts not only to help bring the current outbreak under control, but to leave behind stronger systems to prevent, detect and stop Ebola and other outbreaks before they spread.
\nIn addition to warning travelers to avoid going to the region, CDC is also assisting with active screening and education efforts on the ground in West Africa to prevent sick travelers from getting on planes. On the remote possibility that they do, CDC has protocols in place to protect against further spread of disease. These include notification to CDC of ill passengers on a plane before arrival, investigation of ill travelers, and, if necessary, quarantine. CDC also provides guidance to airlines for managing ill passengers and crew and for disinfecting aircraft. Earlier this week, CDC issued a Health Alert Notice reminding U.S. healthcare workers of the importance of taking steps to prevent the spread of this virus, how to test and isolate suspected patients and how they can protect themselves from infection.
\nAt this time, CDC and its partners at points of entry are not screening passengers traveling from the affected countries. It is important to note that Ebola is not contagious until symptoms appear, and that transmission is through direct contact of bodily fluids of an infected, symptomatic person or exposure to objects like needles that have been contaminated with infected secretions.
\nOver the next five years the United States has committed to working with at least 30 partner countries (totaling at least 4 billion people) to improve their ability to prevent, detect, and effectively respond to infectious disease threats \u2014 whether naturally occurring or caused by accidental or intentional release of pathogens.
\nImproving these capabilities for each nation improves health security for all nations. Stopping outbreaks where they occur is the most effective and least expensive way to protect people\u2019s health.
\nThe President\u2019s FY 2015 budget includes a request of $45 million to fund this global health security effort.
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