Rhode Island launches Ebola monitoring program for travelers from affected countries

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island health officials have launched a new monitoring program for travelers arriving from three African countries affected by ongoing Ebola outbreaks.

Despite the new precautions, officials said the risk to the public remains low.

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) announced the program as part of a nationwide effort coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The monitoring system applies to people who have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within 21 days of entering the United States.

“No Ebola cases connected to the current outbreak have been confirmed in the United States,” RIDOH Director Dr. Jerry Larkin said.

He added that the risk to Rhode Islanders remains very low.

How the monitoring program works

Travelers from the affected countries are being routed through four designated U.S. airports:

• Washington Dulles International Airport
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston
• John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York

First, travelers undergo a public health screening upon arrival.

Next, medical staff evaluate anyone showing possible Ebola symptoms. Those travelers are transferred to a hospital for further testing and isolation.

Meanwhile, travelers without symptoms can continue to their final destination.

However, state health officials receive notification and begin follow-up monitoring.

Rhode Island monitoring requirements

In Rhode Island, affected travelers must monitor themselves for symptoms for 21 days.

They must also report their health status to RIDOH during that period.

In addition, health department clinicians will conduct weekly assessments.

How Ebola spreads

Health officials stressed that Ebola does not spread through the air.

People also cannot catch Ebola simply by being near an infected person in public.

Instead, the virus spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is actively sick with Ebola or who has died from the disease.

Furthermore, people are not contagious until symptoms appear.

Ebola symptoms

Symptoms of Ebola can include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Severe weakness
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Nosebleeds
• Vomiting blood

Additional preparedness measures

RIDOH said it is taking several additional preparedness steps.

For example, the department is providing guidance to healthcare professionals and reviewing patient assessment protocols.

The agency is also coordinating with healthcare partners in case a suspected Ebola case is identified in Rhode Island.