Madeline Heim
Milwaukee health officials are in communication with three people who recently traveled to the city from central Africa, where a fast-growing Ebola outbreak has infected more than 1,000 people.
The travelers are at very low risk of infection and there is currently no danger to the public, Milwaukee Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis said at a June 3 Board of Health meeting.
Ebola is a virus that causes severe inflammation, tissue damage and internal bleeding. It is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected person, and has on average a 50% fatality rate.
The current outbreak, caused by a strain of the virus called Bundibugyo, is centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with cases also reported in Uganda. The first case was confirmed in April.
In May, federal agencies in the U.S. put in place screenings and other security measures for people traveling back from countries affected by the outbreak. They are being rerouted to four U.S. airports for additional screening in Virginia, Atlanta, Houston and New York.
Travelers without symptoms receive information about monitoring their health for 21 days after departing the affected areas and continue to their final destinations – as was the case with the three people now in Milwaukee, Totoraitis said.
Health department staff are checking in with the three people multiple times per week, Totoraitis said. None have needed further screening or any medical attention.
The city monitored several people returning from west Africa during the last Ebola outbreak between 2014 and 2016, Totoraitis said.
According to the CDC, there have been 62 confirmed deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to the virus and one confirmed death in Uganda. Because the Bundibugyo strain is rare, initial surveillance and testing did not pick it up, leading to early uncontrolled spread.
The region is also fighting the outbreak amid active conflict and mistrust of health care and aid workers, according to World Health Organization officials.
The risk to the American public is low.
Madeline Heim covers public health and environmental issues for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at 920-996-7266 or mheim@usatodayco.com.
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