US President Barack Obama said he was considering appointing an Ebola “tsar” to coordinate the fight against the virus in the United States, but he remained opposed to a ban on travel from West Africa.
Obama’s administration is facing sharp criticism from senators over its efforts to contain the disease at home.
Obama authorised calling up military reservists for the US fight against Ebola in West Africa on Thursday. US concerns have intensified after two Texas nurses who cared for a dying Liberian patient contracted the virus that has killed nearly 4500 people.
Federal health officials said they were broadening their outreach to people who may have come into contact with one of the workers.
Spain is also grappling with the spread of the disease, with four new patients with suspected Ebola symptoms admitted to hospitals.
The disease continues to spread in West Africa where the outbreak began in March, and reached the last remaining district in Sierra Leone that had not been affected by Ebola.
A congressional hearing was held to discuss the administration’s handling of the Ebola outbreak in the US.
Some have called for a tsar and a ban on travel from West Africa.
“It may be appropriate for me to appoint an additional person” to oversee efforts to contain Ebola, Obama told reporters, adding that experts have told him “a flat-out travel ban is not the way to go” because current screening measures at airports are working.
He said he had no philosophical objection to a travel ban but that some travellers might attempt to enter the US by avoiding screening measures, which could lead to more Ebola cases, not fewer.
US Federal Aviation Administration chief Michael Huerta told reporters separately that the government was assessing whether to issue a travel ban “on a day-to-day basis”. Jamaica announced an immediate travel ban on Thursday and Guyana said it has denied entry to citizens from four Ebola-hit West African nations during the past five weeks. — Reuters
Ebola ‘tsar’ might help our efforts, says Obama
Obama’s administration is facing sharp criticism from senators over its efforts to contain the disease at home.
Obama authorised calling up military reservists for the US fight against Ebola in West Africa on Thursday. US concerns have intensified after two Texas nurses who cared for a dying Liberian patient contracted the virus that has killed nearly 4500 people.
Federal health officials said they were broadening their outreach to people who may have come into contact with one of the workers.
Spain is also grappling with the spread of the disease, with four new patients with suspected Ebola symptoms admitted to hospitals.
The disease continues to spread in West Africa where the outbreak began in March, and reached the last remaining district in Sierra Leone that had not been affected by Ebola.
A congressional hearing was held to discuss the administration’s handling of the Ebola outbreak in the US.
Some have called for a tsar and a ban on travel from West Africa.
“It may be appropriate for me to appoint an additional person” to oversee efforts to contain Ebola, Obama told reporters, adding that experts have told him “a flat-out travel ban is not the way to go” because current screening measures at airports are working.
He said he had no philosophical objection to a travel ban but that some travellers might attempt to enter the US by avoiding screening measures, which could lead to more Ebola cases, not fewer.
US Federal Aviation Administration chief Michael Huerta told reporters separately that the government was assessing whether to issue a travel ban “on a day-to-day basis”. Jamaica announced an immediate travel ban on Thursday and Guyana said it has denied entry to citizens from four Ebola-hit West African nations during the past five weeks. — Reuters
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