A Kenyan court temporarily halts a US plan to open an Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya for Americans who have been exposed to the virus, amid concerns about public health risks. Multiple outlets report that the proposed facility would be a 50-bed unit at a Kenyan air force base in central Kenya and is intended to isolate US nationals arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where an Ebola outbreak is ongoing.

The Kenyan action follows a court order issued after a petition, including by a rights group, and comes despite prior Nairobi approval cited by some reports. Sources also describe strong local backlash, including objections from medical workers, and note that Kenya has no known confirmed cases of Ebola.

US officials say the facility is meant to quarantine Americans exposed to Ebola before they return or move onward. The court’s decision is described as temporary, pausing the government’s ability to approve or proceed with the deal and delaying the facility’s planned opening.