Bush Intercontinental Airport will be one of three U.S. entry points for passengers from countries affected by an Ebola outbreak.
ByOn Friday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that a Houston airport will soon play a role in efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola to the United States.
, CBP said Bush Intercontinental Airport will be one of three airports that will screen passengers from Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. They said any passenger who's been in those three countries within the last three weeks will be required to go through health screenings. The CDC said Ebola is a severe and often deadly disease that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids.
The largest Ebola outbreak, the agency says, occurred a decade ago in West Africa with over eleven thousand deaths and cases. This variant is different, health officials say, because there is no vaccine or treatment for it. In a news release on Friday, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol didn't say why Houston was selected.show it chose Dulles Airport near Washington, D.C.
, because it's one of the U.S. airports that receives the greatest number of passengers from those three countries. When the plane arrives in Houston, officials say the affected passengers will undergo public health measures. Documents show that airlines are asked to identify travelers who have recently been in those countries and to notify authorities. The additional health measures at IAH come just a few weeks before the World Cup takes place in Houston.
The team from Congo is one of those competing here. On Friday, ABC13's sister network, ESPN, spoke with the director of the White House World Cup Task Force about what's happening with the soccer team from Congo before they arrive in Houston.
"We've been very clear to Congo, they should maintain the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they can come to Houston on June 11," Andrew Giuliani said. "If they introduce someone new to that bubble who may have been to Congo, and they are showing symptoms, it does risk the team being able to come in.
" Eyewitness News reached out to CBP with several questions, including what happens if a passenger arriving at IAH shows symptoms and why Houston was selected. A spokesperson didn't answer the questions but sent a statement saying it's working with the CDC to meet CDC requirements to expand enhanced screenings to protect Americans. While we know the health measures start on Tuesday night, the agency hasn't said how long they will last.
In addition to Dulles and Bush Airports, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is expected to serve as an entry point. CBP said this new restriction does not apply to crew and flights carrying only cargo from the affected countries.
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