The U.S. is in the process of setting up a quarantine facility in Kenya for Americans who were exposed to Ebola or infected with the deadly illness, multiple officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed to CBS News on Wednesday.
A Trump administration official told CBS News the facility is designed to provide access to high-quality care for Americans who would need to quickly get out of Congo and quarantine without the risks of a lengthy trip back to the U.S.
The effort to set up the Kenya facility was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The move will potentially lead to U.S. citizens being kept from reentering the U.S. A former CDC official who previously worked on the Ebola response told CBS News, “It would be unbelievably unethical and irresponsible to maroon Americans given Kenya doesn’t have a proper Level 4 containment facility or much experience” dealing with Ebola.
Over 230 people in Congo are believed to have died from Ebola in the latest outbreak of the disease.
At the White House on Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a meeting of President Trump’s Cabinet that multiple government agencies were working hard to contain the outbreak to where it’s currently located.
“We cannot and will not allow any cases of Ebola to enter the United States,” Rubio said.
The Trump administration official said the Kenya facility will enable Americans in the region who contract Ebola to receive lifesaving care as quickly as possible without having to spend over 12 hours on a medevac flight.
Treatment capabilities at the facility are expected to be able to care for the full spectrum of the disease, including critical care needs, though each case will be evaluated for forward transport for more advanced care as appropriate in order to maximize patient outcomes, the Trump administration official said.
An American doctor was infected with Ebola while working with a medical missionary organization in Democratic Republic of Congo. After being evacuated, he said last week he’s feeling “cautiously optimistic” as he fights the virus at a hospital in Germany.