The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is calling for volunteer personnel to help with emergency screening efforts for Ebola at entry points across the United States, according to an internal communication obtained by Reuters on Tuesday.
In an email sent to staff, CDC Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya explained that the agency initiated a Level 2 emergency response on May 18 following an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The agency is now looking beyond its typical emergency response team as screening operations for certain international travelers increase.
According to CDC guidelines, a Level 2 emergency response represents a moderate level of crisis requiring significant additional personnel to handle response needs.
Enhanced screening procedures have already begun at multiple port health stations and will need more staff members to operate effectively. The agency is requesting volunteers from various departments, including public health advisers, emergency specialists and licensed medical providers, pending approval from their supervisors.
Those who volunteer may be assigned duties such as observing incoming travelers for symptoms of illness, taking temperatures and directing potential cases for additional evaluation, the email indicated.
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the virus. Ebola is a dangerous and frequently deadly illness spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.
The World Health Organization has classified this outbreak of the uncommon Bundibugyo strain as the third-largest Ebola outbreak in history and declared it a public health emergency of international concern.
On Monday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda was moving faster than response capabilities, reporting the most recent count of suspected fatalities at 220.
