WASHINGTON, October 28 (RIA Novosti) – Those at high risk of Ebola exposure in the United States are subject to additional restrictions, such as being prevented from traveling, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director Tom Frieden has announced.
"For someone with high risk, someone who for example had a needle stick while caring for a patient with Ebola, that individual we would certainly want to have on controlled movement," said Frieden.
Frieden said that those at "high risk" would be restricted from flying, using public transportation, going to work and even going to public events. The CDC also outlined other additional risk levels for those traveling to the US who were exposed or potentially exposed to Ebola.
"The new guidelines increase the level of protection by outlining different levels of exposure and outlining different public health actions that can be taken for each of those levels of exposure," Frieden said Monday during a press briefing.
Under the new guidelines, those who have just returned from Ebola-stricken West African countries are considered to be at "some risk," healthcare workers who are treating Ebola patients at US health facilities are considered at "low but non-zero risk," while those who have not traveled to West African countries are considered to have "no identified risk."
Starting Monday, several US airports began a mandatory 21 day monitoring for those who have recently traveled from West African countries affected by Ebola.
Last Friday New York, New Jersey and Illinois announced a mandatory quarantine for health care workers who are returning from West Africa after having cared for Ebola patients.
According to recent World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, over 4,900 people have died from the current Ebola outbreak that started in Guinea in West Africa. In addition the WHO says that there have been about 10,100 cases of confirmed, suspected and registered Ebola cases.
