The United States said on Monday it is bolstering precautions to prevent the spread of Ebola, including screening air travellers from outbreak-hit areas and temporarily suspending visa services.
The measures shared by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) come as the World Health Organization has declared the deadly Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo an international health emergency.
In a briefing, Satish Pillai, the health agency’s Ebola response incident manager, told journalists one American in DR Congo had contracted the virus following exposure related “to their work” there.
“The person developed symptoms over the weekend and tested positive late Sunday,” Pillai said, adding that efforts were under way to take the individual to Germany for treatment.
The official added the United States was attempting to evacuate six additional people for health monitoring.
Pillai said there are about 25 people working in the US field office in DR Congo and that the CDC was fulfilling a request to send an additional senior technical coordinator.
