On the verge of hosting the biggest and most famous sporting event in history, the Trump administration is putting pressure on European countries to impose more stringent travel restrictions due to the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
By Catholics for Catholics
On the verge of hosting the biggest and most famous sporting event in history, the Trump administration is putting pressure on European countries to impose more stringent travel restrictions due to the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, according to a story by Newsmax.
U.S. State officials said international travel during the FIFA World Cup could raise the risk of the virus spreading globally, according to Axios.
Last week, the State Department pressed European governments to enact travel boundaries on travelers from Central African countries affected by the outbreak, especially the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the epidemic is centered, reports Axios on Tuesday.
“European countries must do their part to ensure this outbreak does not spread further,” a State Department official said. “Action is required now.”
The World Cup, which will be hosted for the first time by three countries at once (including the U.S., Mexico and Canada) begins Thursday and runs through July 19.
The mammoth tournament which dwarfs any sporting event in the U.S., features a record 48 teams and 104 matches. It is expected to draw between 5 million and 7 million international visitors to the United States, according to State Department estimates.
But the specter of the Ebola strain is real, said the State Department. The current outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the DRC and neighboring Uganda has made more than 500 people ill and killed more than 90, according to recent reports.
According to Axios, senior administration officials are exasperated with Europe’s dependence on WHO guidance, which generally prefers screening, testing, and contact tracing over broad travel restrictions and border closures.
The administration argues that the WHO did not swiftly report the outbreak and failed to encourage countries to adopt stricter travel controls.
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global health emergency on May 17. Unlike the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, there is no licensed vaccine or approved treatment for the Bundibugyo strain.
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