Ebola Quarantine Policy Challenges Aid Worker's Mission in Congo

New U.S. policy requiring 21-day quarantine for American citizens returning from Ebola-affected Congo could hinder epidemic response, says aid group CEO Franklin Graham. The policy affects staffing and cost for Ebola treatment centers. WHO calls the Congolese outbreak the third-worst on record, with over 1,900 cases reported.

The U.S. has introduced a new policy mandating a 21-day quarantine for American citizens returning from the Ebola-hit Democratic Republic of Congo, which may complicate the ongoing fight against the epidemic, according to Franklin Graham, CEO of a major American aid group.

Graham noted that the quarantine measure would force his organization, Samaritan's Purse, to scale back its mission in Congo due to recruitment challenges and increased costs. The outbreak, identified as the third-worst by the World Health Organization, has seen over 1,900 confirmed cases and more than 700 fatalities.

This unprecedented policy, replacing former airport screenings, prevents U.S. citizens and some travelers from Uganda and South Sudan from flying directly home. Exemptions are possible for humanitarian or law-enforcement reasons, according to the CDC.