MOSCOW, October 25 (RIA Novosti) - The governors of New York and New Jersey have agreed to impose a mandatory 21-day quarantine for individuals arriving at JFK and Newark Liberty International airports from Ebola-hit countries.
"Each State Department of Health at JFK and Newark Liberty International Airports will, as permitted under applicable law, make its own determination as to hospitalization, quarantine, and other public health interventions for up to 21 days," a press release from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo stated following a press briefing on Ebola with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie Friday evening.
The New York governor's press release also revealed that there will be a mandatory quarantine for any individual who had direct contact with anyone infected with the Ebola virus in Liberia, Sierra Leone, or Guinea, including medical personnel. People who have travelled to countries in West Africa battling the disease but have not had direct contact with an infected individual will be monitored by public health officials and quarantined if necessary.
"I have been clear that we will take whatever steps are necessary to protect the public health of the people of New Jersey which is exactly what these joint efforts with Governor Cuomo will do with additional screening and heightened standards for quarantine," Governor Christie was quoted as saying during the news briefing.
Governor Cuomo also announced a new State information line to answer public health questions about the Ebola virus in an effort to raise awareness of the virus.
The Ebola virus is transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of those infected. The incubation period from time of infection to symptoms is 2 to 21 days. The current Ebola outbreak began in southern Guinea in the beginning of this year and later spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Senegal.
According to WHO, 4,877 people have lost their lives to Ebola, while some 9,936 confirmed, probable and suspected cases have been reported in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Spain and the United States. Mali confirmed its first case of Ebola on Thursday of a child who contracted the disease in Guinea and died on Friday.
