The United States is building an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility in Kenya for Americans who were potentially exposed to the virus after leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo. U.S. officials describe it as a “state-of-the-art” site where Americans can quarantine following exposure, rather than being brought back to the United States. Kenya’s health secretary says Kenya will continue work on an isolation and treatment unit at an airbase, intended for use with U.S. servicemen exposed to Ebola.
Kenyan responses vary. A Kenyan human rights group, Katiba Institute, files a court petition seeking to halt the facility’s operations and block the entry of people exposed to Ebola, arguing the plan is being pursued in secrecy and raises constitutional concerns. Health officials and experts also warn the arrangement could strain Kenya’s health system if additional resources are not provided.
At the same time, some Kenyan residents and local leaders protest the plan, with reports of clashes and fires. U.S. and Kenyan officials continue with the project despite legal and public opposition. The Ebola outbreak referenced in coverage is centered on the DRC, with additional cases reported in Uganda, and includes confirmed and suspected deaths tracked by the World Health Organization.
