Red Cross workers wearing personal protective gear line up to decontaminate themselves after handling a corpse in Mongbwalu, Djugu Territory of Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 24, 2026.Gradel Muyisa Mumbere/Reuters
The White House stated on Wednesday that the U.S. is preparing a medical center in Kenya to accommodate U.S. citizens exposed to the Ebola virus while in areas impacted by the current epidemic.
As per an administration source, the U.S. will construct what they termed an “advanced facility” in Kenya “via a collaborative effort involving the Departments of State, Health and Human Services, and Defense."
The report initially surfaced in The New York Times.
According to the official, the goal and structure of the facility is to “offer access to top-tier care for Americans needing prompt evacuation” from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for isolation, asserting it would lessen the “dangers of a prolonged journey back to the U.S.”
“Time is crucial for Ebola sufferers, and this center will allow Americans in the area who contract Ebola to obtain vital treatment as quickly as possible, avoiding 12-plus hours of medical evacuation flight time,” the official mentioned.
The official further noted that the treatment skills at the Kenyan center are “projected to manage the full spectrum of Ebola Virus Disease, including critical care requirements,” while adding that patients would undergo evaluations individually for potential “onward transportation” for more sophisticated care if necessary.
The White House did not immediately address a request from ABC News for further particulars regarding individuals being quarantined and treated at the facility.
Red Cross workers wearing personal protective equipment stand in a formation to disinfect themselves after handling the body in Mongbwalu, Djugu Territory of Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 24, 2026.Gradel Muyisa Mumbere/Reuters
The president had previously utilized his authority under Title 42, restricting travel to the U.S. for non-citizens, with specified exceptions, who had visited the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan in the prior 21 days. This order was broadened last week to encompass U.S. green card holders.
U.S. citizens who have traveled to those nations are being routed to designated U.S. airports for supplementary health screenings, which include Dulles International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
This announcement arises as the New York-based International Rescue Committee (IRC) aid organization cautioned on Tuesday that the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC and neighboring Uganda is now expanding more rapidly than containment efforts and is at risk of becoming "the most devastating on record" without prompt global intervention.
"The spread of the outbreak is outpacing the response, with over 900 potential cases and a minimum of 223 fatalities already documented across DRC and Uganda, including in key transit hubs such as Goma and Kampala," the IRC stated.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com