Ebola

In recent months, we’ve witnessed a serious Ebola outbreak in West Africa that, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), has caused 7,500 cases and 3,500 deaths in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone – the three countries most impacted by this disease. Now, there is one confirmed death from Ebola in Dallas, which has understandably caused serious concern about the potential for an epidemic in the United States. While an outbreak of any disease this violent is cause for concern, the United States has the resources and infrastructure to contain this disease.

Ebola is an extremely deadly disease that can cause high fever, headache, muscle pain and other serious symptoms, including unexplained hemorrhaging. Symptoms for Ebola can appear anywhere from two to 21 days after exposure, with the average being eight to ten days. While there is not a vaccine for Ebola and no way to develop the antibodies to fight it unless you’ve actually had the disease, we believe we know how Ebola is contracted. It is believed that fruit bats are natural hosts of Ebola, which is passed to humans through the bodily fluids of infected animals. After a human contracts Ebola, it can then be spread through direct fluid transfer or contact with objects infected with the disease. There is no evidence that it can be spread through the air or water.

There are a few commonsense steps we need to take to prevent a widespread outbreak in the United States.  First, we need to ensure our hospitals and first responders have protocols in place to quarantine and treat anyone who is suspected to have been exposed to the virus. It is unfortunate that the hospital treating the patient in Texas did not have adequate Ebola screening procedures in place, but we can learn from this mistake so that hospitals are ready in the future.

Second, we need to significantly increase screenings for anyone traveling to the United States from a country affected by Ebola. It is outrageous we did not have a more effective plan in place for potentially exposed passengers. While I am glad to hear we are enhancing screenings now, I believe we should not allow anyone who has potentially been exposed to Ebola to enter the U.S. until we know they are not a risk to our citizens.

This outbreak is also a reminder that we must secure our borders. One of the easiest ways to prevent an outbreak is by testing individuals who enter our country to ensure they are not a risk to public health. While we have no reason to suspect an Ebola outbreak in any neighboring countries, it will be easier to prevent the disease’s spread with a secure border.

Finally, we need to prioritize research into the treatments that have shown promise in fighting and protecting against Ebola. Treating and containing an outbreak like Ebola requires understanding about infectious disease. For example, if you have a room full of people immunized against a disease and the virus gets into the room, it can’t affect anyone because everyone is already protected.

The U.S. is fortunate have the best health care system in the world, and, after the September 11 terrorist attacks, took great care to ensure our first responders and hospitals had the resources and were prepared for outbreaks of infectious diseases. We are one of the most well-prepared countries in the industrialized world to adequately handle a disease like Ebola.   

Ebola is human tragedy, and I believe the work we’re doing to help other nations is important. We have a responsibility to help educate those in countries suffering from this outbreak and to assist them in treating and eradicating this terrible disease. I have the utmost respect for Dr. Frieden and his staff at the CDC, and I agree that we must continue to fight Ebola in Africa to help keep it from impacting our country. Still, I believe it’s just as imperative we are taking every necessary step to protect our citizens. Please rest assured I will continue to closely monitor the situation for developments.

Feel free to contact my office if we can be of assistance to you or your family. Our contact information can be found on our website, www.roe.house.gov.