All US-bound airline passengers who have been in Uganda in the 21 days before their arrival will be routed to one of five US airports for enhanced Ebola screening, the US Embassy in Uganda said Thursday.
Starting at 11:59 p.m. ET Thursday, passengers will be routed to New York’s JFK airport; Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; Chicago O’Hare International Airport; or Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC.
There are no cases of Ebola in the United States at this time, and “the risk of Ebola domestically is currently low,” the embassy said.
No airlines fly directly from Uganda to the United States, according to a health advisory the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted Thursday, but “travelers from or passing through affected areas in Uganda can enter the United States on flights connecting from other countries.”
There are 63 confirmed and probable cases of Ebola in Uganda, including 29 deaths, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday.
Ebola is a rare but deadly disease. It has no cure, and there is no approved vaccine, although there is a concerted effort to create one.