Measures that specifically exclude foreigners are ineffective, said Jeanne Marrazzo, head of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. “Diseases don’t have passports,” she said in a statement.
“The fastest path to protecting all countries in the world is to aggressively support outbreak control at the source,” said Jean Kaseya, head of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuesday.
“Global health security cannot be achieved through borders alone. It is achieved through partnership, trust, science, and rapid investment in preparedness and response capacity,” he added.
Meanwhile, the American doctor being transferred to Germany, Peter Stafford, worked for the U.S. missionary organization Serge and treated Ebola patients in Nyankunde Hospital, Ituri.
Stafford was one of three doctors treating patients in the region when the outbreak began. The other two doctors — his wife, Rebekah Stafford, and Patrick LaRochelle — have not yet shown any symptoms, according to Serge.
The U.S. State Department said Monday it is coordinating “a comprehensive response” to the Ebola outbreak, “working closely with [the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and the U.S. military on potential repatriation of affected Americans, based on assessed exposure and health needs.”