The individuals recently traveled from Guinea and Democratic Republic of the Congo, which are experiencing Ebola outbreaks. Health officials say public risk is low.
Editor’s note: The attached video originally ran on KING 5 in 2016.
Public health officials in Washington state are monitoring 23 low-risk people who recently traveled from areas experiencing an Ebola virus disease outbreak, according to the Washington Department of Health.
There is low risk for people in Washington, state health officials said.
The individuals are considered “persons under monitoring” for 21 days after their arrival to the United States, according to health officials.
There is an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in N’Zérékoré Prefecture of Guinea and the North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a press release from the Department of Health.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has issued an order requiring airlines to collect and provide CDC with contact information for passengers who were in Guinea or the Democratic Republic of Congo within 21 days before arriving in the United States.
Local public health are tasked with conducting health monitoring and other follow-up for 21 days after the travelers’ arrivals.
According to the CDC, Ebola symptoms include, fever; aches and pains, such as severe headache, muscle and joint pain, and abdominal (stomach) pain; weakness and fatigue; gastrointestinal symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting; abdominal (stomach) pain; unexplained hemorrhaging, bleeding or bruising; red eyes, skin rash, and hiccups (late stage).
Many common illnesses can have the same symptoms as EVD, including influenza (flu), malaria, or typhoid fever.
EVD is a rare and deadly disease in people and nonhuman primates, according to a press release from the health department. The viruses that cause EVD are located mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and are spread through direct contact with an infected animal (bat or nonhuman primate) or a sick or dead person infected with Ebola virus.
In 2014 to 2016, an Ebola outbreak in West Africa became a global epidemic, according to the CDC. Eleven people in the United States were diagnosed with the disease. Two of them died.
The CDC has more information on the Ebola virus.
