Seven American aid workers who were involved in fighting the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are now being quarantined at a new isolation facility in Kenya. This comes after the U.S. government implemented travel restrictions requiring citizens returning from high-risk areas to spend three weeks in a third country before entering the United States.
Facility under legal challenge
The new 50-bed bio-isolation unit being constructed on an air force base in central Kenya continues to progress, even though a court order has been issued halting the work. Local residents and officials in Kenya remain divided over the project. Some argue it poses an unnecessary risk, while others believe it is a critical step in protecting public health.
Franklin Graham, the president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, confirmed to Reuters that the seven American workers are healthy but are being quarantined for 21 days by Kenyan authorities. He also noted that one of the staff members had potential close contact with individuals infected with the virus while working in the field.
Quarantine and monitoring
The group arrived at the quarantine site in central Kenya on Monday. According to a source familiar with the situation, they are currently sleeping in army cots within tents. Their health is being monitored closely by U.S. public health service clinicians. The U.S. state department described the move as a form of 'precautionary monitoring and isolation' and emphasized that the individuals volunteered to be placed in the facility.
Kenyan authorities are overseeing the entire process, including the arrival and placement of the group. However, the health ministry has not yet responded to requests for comments on the situation. A senior foreign ministry official was also unable to provide any information about the matter.
Public backlash in Kenya
Many Kenyans have expressed strong opposition to the U.S. government’s actions, claiming they are offloading the health risks associated with Ebola onto their country. The controversy has led to legal action, with Kenya’s health minister temporarily halting construction of the facility after he was found to be in contempt of court for failing to comply with an earlier order to stop work until a final ruling.
Samaritan’s Purse is a major international aid organization that regularly operates in disaster zones around the world. It is one of the largest foreign groups treating the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC, working closely with the World Health Organization to help contain the virus. The group has also received several million dollars in support from the U.S. government.
One of Samaritan’s Purse staff members was sent to a hospital in Germany earlier this month after being infected with the virus. The current group of seven workers involved in the quarantine includes individuals who worked directly with patients as well as others who contributed in roles such as construction. None of the seven workers showed symptoms at the time of quarantine.