According to the latest update by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 5 October, a total of 8,033 (probable, confirmed, and suspected) cases and 3,865 deaths from the Ebola virus have been documented in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Some cases have also been reported in Nigeria and Senegal.

Late September yielded the first case imported to a non-African country, after a Liberian national traveled to Dallas, Texas.  He succumbed to the virus on 8 October in Dallas. Most recently, a healthcare worker in Madrid, Spain, contracted the illness while caring for an infected patient transported to Spain for treatment.  Both the U.S. and Spain cases did engage in contact with the public while symptomatic, and intense contact-tracing efforts were enacted by both nations. 

In recent months, authorities in multiple nations have introduced a wide range of preventative measures in response to the deteriorating Ebola outbreak, including border closures, flight bans, and stricter screenings at country gateways. Individual airlines have also implemented their own restrictions.

U.S. authorities announced on 8 October that travelers from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone will undergo mandatory screenings for the Ebola virus at certain domestic airports. The measures will include questionnaires as well as temperature scans. The checks will be implemented at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Washington D.C.’s Dulles International Airport (IAD), Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL), and New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

Global Rescue has air assets in Africa to perform air ambulance evacuations. Response time depends upon many factors, including weather, local asset availability, location, and local laws. However, we can and will assist in supporting our members with any and all services that are medically appropriate, and which fall within the guidelines of the incident and destination countries regarding quarantine and infectious disease transportation.  Global Rescue will provide these services within the capabilities of our air providers, and the medical resources available locally, regionally, and at the member’s destination.  For members with Ebola or suspected Ebola, Global Rescue will transport pursuant to all required quarantine and infection control procedures and restrictions, which may delay or prevent transport.