US restricts entry for green card holders from 3 countries
What's the story
The United States has expanded its travel restrictions to include lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders) who have recently traveled through the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, or South Sudan. The measure was announced by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) amid growing concerns over Ebola outbreaks in these regions.
Travel ban
CDC's statement on travel restrictions
The new restrictions, which were announced on Friday, apply to Green Card holders who have been in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the last 21 days. The CDC said this was necessary to prevent further spread of Ebola into the US. "Applying this authority to lawful permanent residents for a limited period of time provides a balance between protecting public health and managing emergency response resources," it added.
Global concern
WHO raises risk level of Bundibugyo strain of Ebola
The CDC's decision comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the risk level of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola to "very high." The organization has declared the spread of Ebola in DRC and Uganda an emergency of international concern. This strain is particularly worrying as there is no approved vaccine or treatment for it yet.
Crisis management
More than 130 deaths in DRC since outbreak declared
Since the outbreak was officially declared on May 15, DRC has reported more than 500 suspected cases and more than 130 deaths. The disease has spread across multiple provinces and into Uganda. Parthesarathy Rajendran, Executive Director of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) South Asia, said the outbreak was detected late in areas already struggling with conflict and weak medical infrastructure.
Strain specifics
No approved vaccine or treatment
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola presents unique challenges as existing vaccines and monoclonal antibody treatments are not approved for use against it. Antiviral candidates and experimental monoclonal antibodies do exist, but their efficacy is yet to be determined. In the absence of a targeted vaccine/treatment, healthcare workers are relying largely on supportive care like fluid replacement, oxygen support, symptom management, and monitoring of blood and cardiac parameters.