Trump 'concerned' about Ebola outbreak and places travel restrictions after American tests positive
Topics: Donald Trump, Health, US News
Kiesha Dosanjh
Featured Image Credit: (Photo by Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images)
Topics: Donald Trump, Health, US News
President Donald Trump has expressed his worries about the current Ebola outbreak, now that a citizen of the United States has tested positive.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that six American citizens had been exposed to the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo - with one now confirmed to be positive.
The news was released just days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency over the new Ebola strain, which currently has no vaccine.
The new strain, Bundibugyo, is said to have a fatality rate of 50%.
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During the press conference, Trump was asked by a journalist whether Americans should be concerned about the outbreak.
“I’m concerned about everything, but certainly [I] am,” the POTUS said during a White House event which was centered around consumer-drug website TrumpRx.
“I think that it’s been confined right now to Africa, and but it’s something that has had a breakout,” he said.
Following this, deputy director at the White House Domestic Policy Council, Heidi Overton confirmed that the citizen who has tested positive in DR Congo will be taken to Germany, as well as six other high risk contacts.
“We want to thank our German counterparts,” she said. She then went on to explain: “That is an internationally recognized location for viral hemorrhagic fever treatments.”
She then added that the flight time to receive treatment in Germany would be shorter than the U.S. The individual has not yet been named.
The current outbreak of the disease started in the provincial capital of Bunia on 24 April, with a nurse, patient zero.
As of May 16, there have been eight laboratory confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases and 80 reported deaths in Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, WHO reports.
It has now been reported that DRC health officials have announced 131 deaths and 513 suspected cases.
The WHO then declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in Congo and Uganda.
However, they say that the outbreak falls short of the criteria for a "pandemic emergency," like that of COVID.
Therefore, at the moment, the Organization has advised against closing the borders.
But what are the symptoms? Well, Ebola symptoms can start showing up anywhere between two and 21 days after coming into contact with those carrying the virus.
At first, those with the virus may experience symptoms such as fever, aches and pains and muscle weakness, as well as a sore throat and headache.
After four to five days experiencing these symptoms, many people’s conditions will worsen. They may then experience symptoms including unexpected bleeding, as well as vomiting and diarrhea alongside abdominal pain.
It has been said by the CDC that those who experience more severe symptoms earlier are at a higher risk from passing away.