Seven American aid workers from the Samaritan’s Purse charity are being quarantined at a U.S.-backed Ebola isolation facility in Kenya, the organization stated. The workers are part of a 72-member Disaster Assistance Response Team deployed to address the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The team includes 44 Americans and members from nine other countries.
None of the seven quarantined individuals have developed symptoms, according to Samaritan's Purse. Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the charity, confirmed the workers are undergoing the standard 21-day isolation period. He reported that they are housed in large military tents within a fenced area, using military cots and receiving food provided by the U.S. military. Graham stated he had spoken with them by phone.
The facility, situated at the Laikipia Air Base near Nanyuki, Kenya, was established to monitor Americans exposed to Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo or Uganda before their return to the United States. The project has encountered significant opposition within Kenya, with critics arguing that the U.S. is shifting health risks to Kenya, a nation with no recorded Ebola cases. Civil society groups have raised concerns about the absence of public consultation and necessary approvals.
Kenya’s High Court had previously ordered construction to cease, and the Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, was found in contempt of court before announcing a halt to activities at the site. Despite these legal challenges, the facility was completed and is believed to be housing its first occupants in the seven Samaritan's Purse workers.
The World Health Organization has indicated that the Ebola outbreak is spreading at an accelerated rate compared to previous outbreaks in the DRC. As of Thursday, the DRC had reported 2,124 confirmed cases and 828 deaths.
Earlier in the week, the U.S. announced new travel restrictions for Americans departing from the DRC. Under new protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Homeland Security, Americans returning from the DRC will be subject to a 21-day waiting period after leaving the country. Previously, only non-citizens were barred from returning to the U.S. from Ebola outbreak regions, while American travelers underwent screening at select airports.