E.U., U.S. Assess Readiness To Contain Ebola Within Their Borders

News outlets report on E.U. and U.S. preparedness to contain Ebola if the disease were to reach their borders.

Associated Press: Ebola threat to E.U. is ‘low’ but readiness needed
“E.U. health ministers say the chance that the deadly Ebola virus might spread to Europe is ‘low’ but that they must improve coordination and prevention measures just in case. The ministers ended a two-day meeting in Milan on Tuesday amid concerns in Italy that the virus might spread here thanks to the thousands of Africans who arrive via smugglers’ boats every day…” (9/23).

Politico: How prepared is U.S. for Ebola?
“…Should a case be identified in the United States, the public health system’s job would be to limit any spread through contact tracing, surveillance and, if necessary, isolation. It’s a well-established approach that seems to have contained the disease in two of the affected African countries, Nigeria and Senegal, where no new infections have been reported since Sept. 5…” (Kenen/Levine, 9/24).

Reuters: U.S. hospitals unprepared to handle Ebola waste
“U.S. hospitals may be unprepared to safely dispose of the infectious waste generated by any Ebola virus disease patient to arrive unannounced in the country, potentially putting the wider community at risk, biosafety experts said…” (Steenhuysen, 9/24).

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