The United States government is reportedly planning to establish an Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya within the next one week as fears grow over the rapid spread of the deadly virus in parts of East and Central Africa.
According to reports from international media, the facility will be set up through a coordinated operation involving the U.S. Departments of State, Defense, and Health and Human Services. The quarantine centre is expected to host American citizens exposed to Ebola, particularly those evacuated from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
Reports indicate the planned facility will initially include a 50-bed field hospital that can later be expanded to accommodate up to 250 patients if the outbreak worsens. The medical structures are expected to be made of prefabricated units that can easily be transported by trucks and aircraft.
The move follows growing concern in the United States after several American citizens working in affected regions were exposed to the virus. One American has already been confirmed infected with Ebola in the DRC, while others have reportedly been transferred to Germany and the Czech Republic for monitoring and treatment.
Officials from the Trump administration reportedly said Kenya was selected because of its strategic location and easier access compared to transporting patients directly to the United States.
“The facility is designed to provide access to high-quality care for Americans who would need to quickly get out of DRC and quarantine without the risks of a lengthy transport back to the U.S.,” a U.S. official reportedly stated.
The development comes as the U.S. government intensifies Ebola containment measures globally. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is said to have announced that no Ebola-infected individual, including American citizens, would be allowed entry into the United States.
Reports further indicate that members of the U.S. Public Health Service have already undergone emergency training at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland ahead of deployment to Kenya. However, concerns have reportedly emerged among military officials over the short duration of the training.
Meanwhile, Kenya has continued to reassure the public over its preparedness to handle any potential Ebola threat. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale recently announced that the government had activated the national Incident Management System and intensified surveillance at all points of entry.
The Ministry of Health has also designated laboratories for testing and strengthened coordination between national and county governments as authorities remain on high alert over the regional outbreak.
