On Wednesday, the City of Houston's public health director, Dr. Theresa Tran, gave an update on how the screening process at Bush Intercontinental Airport will work.
Thursday, May 28, 2026 12:13AMHouston's Bush Intercontinental Airport is now one of several airports across the country screening certain passengers for Ebola. On Wednesday, the city's public health director, Dr. Theresa Tran, gave an update on how the process will work.
Dr. Tran said it will be business as usual for domestic travelers, or if people have traveled to places outside of central Africa.
"The customs process, the TSA process at the airport is going to be the usual for individuals getting off of an airplane for their normal travels, whether it is to a game or to go see their families or whatever else it is people want to do in the summer," Dr. Tran said. U.S. citizens who are allowed to travel here and were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, or Uganda within the past 21 days will go through special screenings, officials said.
"The CDC prevention officers are screening them, meaning they are asking them questions as to what kind of symptoms they have had, any fever, vomiting, nausea, bleeding," Dr. Tran said. Dr. Tran said if passengers answer "No" to all the questions, they are deemed low risk and free to leave the airport customs, but if a passenger answers "Yes", they will meet with medical officers and take appropriate measures.
With the World Cup heading to Houston in just a little over two weeks, Mayor John Whitmire said the team from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and their officials, who have been in Europe, will be able to come to Houston, but will have to take proper safety measures.
"It exists, it is an outbreak, and we are not going to pretend like it's not there, but we are also not going to pretend and to cause fear in the public that it is a public health threat here," Dr. Tran said. Dr. Tran added that she believes there are other potential health risks they can prepare for, such as airborne diseases, compared to those that spread through direct contact.
"My biggest concern is people spreading measles or people spreading other airborne diseases because they're not vaccinated," Dr. Tran said.
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