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. 2017 May/Jun;15(3):261-267.
doi: 10.1089/hs.2016.0086.

United States Notifications of Travelers from Ebola-Affected Countries

Katrin S Kohl, Rossanne Philen, Ray R Arthur, Mary Dott, Rachel Nonkin Avchen, Kate M Shaw, Maleeka J Glover, W Randolph Daley

United States Notifications of Travelers from Ebola-Affected Countries

Katrin S Kohl et al. Health Secur. 2017 May/Jun.

Abstract

The International Health Regulations (IHR), an international law under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO), mandates that countries notify other countries of "travelers under public health observation." Between November 10, 2014, and July 12, 2015, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made 2,374 notifications to the National IHR Focal Points in 114 foreign countries of travelers who were monitored by US health departments because they had been to an Ebola-affected country in West Africa. Given that countries have preidentified focal points as points of contacts for sharing of public health information, notifications could be made by CDC to a trusted public health recipient in another country within 24 hours of receipt of the traveler's information from a US health department. The majority of US health departments used this process, offered by CDC, to notify other countries of travelers intending to leave the United States while being monitored in their jurisdiction.

Keywords: Ebola virus disease; International Health Regulations; International travelers.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
International Notifications for Persons Intending to Leave the United States During 21-Day Monitoring for Ebola
Figure 2
Figure 2
Proportion of Number of International Notifications Over Number of Persons Under 21-Day Monitoring for Ebola by Monitoring Week, November 10, 2014–July 12, 2015
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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