Kenya is set to become a key part of the United States’ Ebola containment strategy as the Trump administration plans to establish a quarantine and treatment facility in the East African nation for American citizens exposed to the virus.
According to reports from the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, the proposal which at the moment, still awaits approval from the Kenyan government, would allow high-risk American citizens, including those exposed to or infected with Ebola, to be isolated and treated within Kenya instead of being transferred to Europe.
The plan marks a significant shift in Washington’s response to the worsening Ebola outbreak spreading across parts of East and Central Africa.
According to Reuters, some members of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a uniformed branch under the Department of Health and Human Services, have received notices to deploy.
Earlier arrangements reportedly focused on placing exposed individuals under temporary observation in Kenya before relocating confirmed cases abroad for treatment. However, the administration now intends to provide full treatment capabilities within the proposed Kenyan facility.
