Seven American aid workers are quarantining at a new bio-isolation facility in Kenya after the US government introduced travel restrictions for returnees from Ebola-hit regions, according to their employer, Samaritan’s Purse. The group, all asymptomatic, had worked in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to combat the outbreak.
US travel ban prompts Kenya quarantine
Under Washington’s new policy, American citizens returning from Congo or Uganda must spend 21 days in a third country before entering the US. The 50-bed facility, built on a Kenyan air force base, is intended for asymptomatic Americans exposed to Ebola. However, its construction has faced fierce opposition in Kenya, with a court ordering work to halt pending a final ruling—though satellite imagery and US officials confirm activity continued.
Kenya’s health minister last month ordered an immediate stop to construction after being held in contempt of court for ignoring the suspension order. Many Kenyans view the facility as the US shifting health risks to their country.
Samaritan’s Purse confirms quarantine details
Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, confirmed the seven workers—part of the charity’s Disaster Assistance Response Team—are quarantined for 21 days at the Kenyan government’s direction. A US State Department official stated the group had “voluntarily moved to the Kenya facility for precautionary monitoring,” with Kenyan authorities authorizing their entry under US public health service supervision.
An anonymous source familiar with the matter revealed the group arrived Monday, sleeping in army cots in tents. Some had treated Ebola patients in Congo, while others performed non-medical roles. One worker had a “potential high-risk exposure,” though all remain under observation. Kenyan authorities have restricted their movement within the country.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids. Samaritan’s Purse, a major aid group in Congo, recently had a US staff member with Ebola transferred to Germany for treatment. The evangelical Christian organization works closely with the WHO to contain the outbreak.
