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US ends airport entry screening for travelers from Mali
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The CDC and the Department of Homeland Security have removed Mali from the list of countries affected by Ebola that are subject to enhanced visa and port-of-entry screening at US airports, according to a news release.
Travelers from Mali are no longer subject to enhanced screening and monitoring upon entering the US, nor are they required to enter the country through the five international airports designated to perform enhanced screening. The CDC has removed the Alert Level 2 travel notice for Mali, which advised travelers to that country to take enhanced precautions against the disease. Those leaving Mali remain subject to outbound screening measures, the CDC said.
The incubation period for Ebola is 21 days. Today marks the end of two incubation cycles since the last patient in Mali had contact with an individual who was not wearing personal protective equipment. However, anyone who traveled from Mali before today still must be actively monitored and report symptoms for 21 days.
According to the CDC, the last Ebola patient in Mali tested negative for the disease on Dec. 5.
There have been eight Ebola cases and six deaths in Mali, the CDC reported, where the disease has spread from outbreak zones in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Screening and monitoring for these three countries is still in place, according to the CDC. Travel notices for the three countries remain at a Warning Level 3, which advises against nonessential travel to these nations.