Protests Erupt in Kenya Over U.S. Plans for Ebola Quarantine Facility

<p>Demonstrations occurred at the Laikipia Air Base in central Kenya on June 1, as hundreds of Kenyans protested against U.S. plans to quarantine Ebola patients at the facility. The protests coincided with reports of U.S. military aircraft arriving at the base with equipment and personnel.</p><p>Protesters expressed concerns that Kenya's health care system is not equipped to handle Ebola patients. The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. has accelerated efforts to establish a quarantine facility for American citizens exposed to or infected with Ebola, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), located approximately 350 miles from Kenya. Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary of Health, Aden Duale, stated that the isolation center would be available for all, not just Americans.</p><p>Local resident Malin Ndegwa raised concerns about the risks posed to Kenya, questioning why the facility was not established in the DRC or Uganda instead. Ndegwa stated, “We want that facility taken out of our town, we want it taken out of Kenya.”</p><p>The Associated Press reported that the facility was operational with 50 quarantine beds as of the end of the previous week. However, a Nairobi court has halted U.S. plans for the quarantine facility, with High Court Judge Patricia Nyaundi ruling that it posed “grave and imminent risks” to public health. The court's ruling restrains government agencies from establishing any quarantine center related to Ebola.</p><p>The suspension of the facility will remain in effect until the case is heard. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a pledge of $13.5 million for Ebola preparedness in Kenya, but some local officials, including Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu, expressed concerns that this funding could expose the population to Ebola.</p><p>As of now, there are at least 282 confirmed cases of Ebola in the DRC and over 1,000 suspected cases of the Bundibugyo virus, which currently has no treatment or vaccine. The CDC has begun screening passengers arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport from areas affected by Ebola outbreaks. The CDC assesses the risk to the general U.S. public health as low, with ongoing evaluations.</p><p>According to CDC data, approximately 250 people have died due to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda, although the total number of cases and deaths is disputed.</p>