TL;DR
- Americans with Ebola will be sent to Europe for treatment.
- A facility in Kenya is set up for quarantine.
- Shorter transport times to Europe cited as reason.
- The U.S. has blocked entry for noncitizens from affected regions.
- The outbreak in Congo has over 1,000 cases.
In a shocking twist that has many scratching their heads, senior administration officials have announced that if more Americans contract Ebola, they will be whisked away to Europe for treatment instead of being brought back to the good old U.S. of A. This decision comes amid a serious outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola is wreaking havoc.
As part of this strategy, the U.S. has set up a facility in Kenya, which is expected to open its doors with 50 quarantine beds. But here’s the kicker: anyone who tests positive won’t be hanging around in Kenya. Nope, they’ll be shipped off to unspecified European countries for treatment. Talk about a one-way ticket!
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with the Department of State to identify where that facility or facilities might be,” a senior official stated. It seems like the administration is all about keeping Americans safe, but is sending them across the ocean really the best way?
According to officials, the reasoning behind this European getaway is all about the shorter flight times. The only American who has tested positive so far, a surgeon working in Congo, was flown to Germany for treatment. “It is much better to be able to transport them to a facility that takes a shorter transport time, as opposed to flying them back all the way to the United States,” the official explained. But let’s be real—this sounds a bit like a fancy way to avoid dealing with the crisis at home.
In a Cabinet meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made it crystal clear: “We cannot and will not allow any cases of Ebola to enter the United States.” This is a bold statement, but it raises eyebrows about what it means for Americans who might need care. The CDC has also blocked all noncitizens who have been in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the last 21 days from entering the U.S. Talk about closing the borders!
As the outbreak continues to grow, with over 1,000 cases and 246 deaths reported, the urgency is palpable. There’s no vaccine or treatment for this particular strain, so the stakes are high. Last week, seven Americans exposed to the virus were flown to Europe, including the doctor currently hospitalized in Germany. His family is quarantining in Germany, while another doctor is doing the same in the Czech Republic.
While the U.S. is sending doctors to the Kenya facility and the hospital in Germany, the question remains: are we really doing enough to protect our citizens? The outbreak in Congo is serious, and as we watch the situation unfold, it’s hard not to wonder if this is the best course of action. For now, it seems like Europe is the new go-to destination for American Ebola patients. Let’s hope they get the care they need and that this outbreak is contained before it spreads even further.