Donald Trump is ‘certainly’ worried about Ebola outbreak as country bans travel from three nations

The US has introduced a 30-day travel ban on people from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan amid a deadly Ebola outbreak, with President Donald Trump admitting he is “certainly” worried about the highly contagious virus

US President Donald Trump has revealed his concerns about the Ebola outbreak as America prohibits travellers from multiple nations from entering the country during an epidemic of the deadly virus.

When questioned by a journalist about whether he was troubled by the virus, Trump replied: “[I] certainly am.” Trump added, “I think that it’s been confined right now to Africa, but its something that has had a breakout.”

Anyone holding a US passport who has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the past three weeks is prohibited from entering the United States of America. The restriction will remain in place for a minimum of 30 days, according to an directive released by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday.

Ebola is an extremely infectious disease transmitted through contact with bodily fluids. It frequently triggers fatal haemorrhagic fever, swift multi-organ failure and internal or external bleeding.

More than 100 people have died and nearly 400 suspected cases have been documented in the DRC since the outbreak was formally announced on Saturday. Two imported cases were confirmed in neighbouring Uganda and the World Health Organization (WHO) has subsequently declared the epidemic a global health emergency, describing the outbreak as an “extraordinary” event.

The Telegraph reported that the US travel restriction technically violates International Health Regulations (IHR).

The IHR represents a legally binding collection of protocols established by the WHO. Washington declared it will no longer abide by these protocols following its withdrawal from the WHO in January.

Under the rules, nations are prohibited from implementing health measures that “significantly interfere with international traffic,” including visa restrictions, border closures or flight suspensions, without scientific justification.

At least six Americans are reported to have been exposed to Ebola. Health authorities are now weighing up evacuating them for quarantine at a US military facility in Germany. The facility could be the US Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre (LRMC), which served a similar function during a previous Ebola outbreak.

US President Donald Trump just two weeks earlier threatened to shut down military bases in Germany.

An American missionary doctor became the first confirmed US Ebola case. The medic was exposed to the virus in the DRC and is currently being evacuated to Germany for treatment.

Another US patient is reportedly displaying symptoms of the lethal haemorrhagic fever. Three others are considered to have had “high-risk” contact with patients.

The CDC has stated it was collaborating with US officials “who are actively coordinating the safe withdrawal ‌of a ‌small number of Americans who are directly affected by this outbreak”.

The current outbreak has been identified as the rare Bundibugyo strain. There is no approved vaccine or treatment for this strain.

An official stated after Trump’s remarks that there are currently no cases of Ebola in America.

“We want to keep it that way,” she stated.