HEALTH-EBOLA/SAMANTHA POWER U.S. Ambassador Power will "abide" by quarantine requirements -State Dept.

Record ID: 708170

  • Title: HEALTH-EBOLA/SAMANTHA POWER U.S. Ambassador Power will "abide" by quarantine requirements -State Dept.
  • Date: 27th October 2014
  • Summary: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 27, 2014) (STATE TV) U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON JEN PSAKI WALKING UP TO PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON JEN PSAKI SAYING: "Ambassador Power and the travel party were aware of the discussion of potential quarantines by state and local officials prior to departure and will of course be prepared to abide by. That said, they are also in close contact with the CDC, with medical experts to stay safe and avoid contracting the disease, a risk that pales in comparison to the risk we take if the international community does not take further action."
  • Embargoed: 11th November 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Sierra Leone
  • Country: Sierra Leone
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAEAZ5F2HFORDH5QJ2BEAQ8XYHW
  • Story Text: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power's visit to West Africa to assess the region's Ebola response efforts will not put her in direct contact with Ebola patients, the State Department said on Monday (October 27), as three U.S. states issued mandatory quarantines for people returning from West Africa.
    "She's not visiting any Ebola treatment units, and observing all handwashing protocol and doing temperature screening multiple times a day," State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said in response to questions about the ambassador's trip.
    Psaki went on to add, "Depending on where she is and where she lands, she'll abide by whatever the requirements are."
    New still photos showed Power having her temperature taken during a stop in Sierra Leone.
    The ambassador, said Psaki, would be receiving briefings on the ground and meeting with officials.
    Power is also expected to urge countries to increase their efforts to fight Ebola.
    "There are a number of countries that can do more and she can certainly shed some light, or bring some attention to why those needs are so dire," Psaki said.
    Power's trip comes just as three states, New York, New Jersey and Illinois have issued new quarantine rules for people returning from West Africa in response to fears that U.S. federal guidelines do not go far enough to contain an outbreak centred in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone that has infected 10,000 people.
    Some groups have challenged the rules as too extreme and a nurse who was quarantined after returning
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