US to quarantine Ebola-exposed Americans in Kenya field hospital: Report
Synopsis
Instead of flying Ebola-exposed Americans home, the Trump administration is reportedly building a military field hospital in central Kenya — operational within a week, scalable to 250 beds. With the DRC's outbreak crossing 1,000 suspected cases and the Bundibugyo strain confirmed, Washington is betting on forward containment over domestic biocontainment. It is an unprecedented move that raises immediate questions about host-country consent and long-term capacity.
Key Takeaways
The Trump administration has reportedly ordered the US military to set up a quarantine facility in central Kenya within one week for Americans exposed to Ebola .
The facility will initially have 50 beds , with potential expansion to 250 beds , using biocontainment units from the US.
The DRC has recorded 1,077 suspected Ebola cases , 121 confirmed cases , and 238 suspected deaths since 15 May 2025 .
The outbreak spans 13 health zones across Ituri , North Kivu , and South Kivu ; the Bundibugyo strain has been confirmed.
The US CDC has imposed a 30-day entry ban on nationals from DRC , Uganda , and South Sudan , later extended to green card holders .
The US government is reportedly planning to send Americans exposed to Ebola to a makeshift quarantine facility in Kenya rather than repatriating them to the United States, according to US media reports published on Wednesday, 28 May 2025. The move signals a significant shift in Washington's approach to managing Ebola exposure risk amid a worsening outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The Kenya Facility Plan
The Trump administration has reportedly directed the US military to establish a quarantine facility in central Kenya within one week, according to The Washington Post, which cited two people familiar with the matter. The field hospital would house Americans exposed to the virus in biocontainment units transported from the United States.
The initial plan calls for a 50-bed unit to be operational within a week, with the capacity to scale up to 250 beds. Members of the US Public Health Service have already begun training at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to staff the Kenya facility, according to the report.
Americans Already Sent to Europe
This month, the US government flew an American doctor who developed Ebola symptoms to a hospital in Germany. Six other Americans were sent for monitoring to Germany and the Czech Republic, according to reports. The Kenya facility, if operational, would serve as the primary destination for future cases, replacing the Europe-based arrangements.
US Travel Restrictions Tightened
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this month issued a 30-day suspension of entry into the United States for foreign nationals who had been in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past 21 days. Last week, the policy was expanded to include lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green card holders — a notable escalation of the travel restrictions.
Scale of the DRC Outbreak
The number of suspected Ebola cases in the DRC has surpassed 1,000, according to a situation report released Wednesday by the country's Ministry of Health. Based on figures compiled as of Tuesday, the cumulative count of suspected cases stood at 1,077. The country has recorded 121 confirmed cases and 238 suspected deaths since the outbreak was officially declared on 15 May 2025.
The outbreak has spread across 13 health zones in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, with Ituri remaining the epicentre. This marks the DRC's 17th Ebola epidemic. Laboratory tests have identified the Bundibugyo strain of the virus — a relatively rare form of Ebola — as the causative agent.
What Comes Next
The establishment of a US-run field hospital on African soil marks an unusual departure from previous outbreak response protocols, which typically involved flying patients to specialised biocontainment facilities in the United States. Whether Kenya's government has formally consented to hosting the facility has not been confirmed in available reports. As the DRC outbreak continues to expand, the adequacy of a 250-bed maximum capacity and the logistical challenges of staffing a remote field hospital will face close scrutiny from global health observers.
Point of View
000 suspected cases and the relatively rare Bundibugyo strain confirmed, the global health community will be watching whether Washington's forward-containment gamble holds — or whether under-resourced field infrastructure becomes a liability.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the US sending Ebola-exposed Americans to Kenya instead of the United States?
The Trump administration has reportedly decided to establish a military quarantine facility in central Kenya to house Americans exposed to Ebola, rather than flying them back to the US. The move appears designed to contain exposure risk outside American borders, though the full rationale has not been officially confirmed.
How large will the US quarantine facility in Kenya be?
The initial plan calls for a 50-bed biocontainment unit to be operational within one week, with the capacity to expand to 250 beds. Biocontainment units are being transported from the United States, and US Public Health Service personnel have begun training at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to staff the facility.
How serious is the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC?
As of 27 May 2025, the DRC has recorded 1,077 suspected Ebola cases, 121 confirmed cases, and 238 suspected deaths since the outbreak was declared on 15 May 2025. It is the country's 17th Ebola epidemic, caused by the relatively rare Bundibugyo strain, and has spread across 13 health zones in eastern provinces.
What travel restrictions has the US imposed due to the Ebola outbreak?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a 30-day suspension of entry for foreign nationals who had been in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days. The policy was subsequently expanded to include lawful permanent residents — green card holders — as well.
Which strain of Ebola is responsible for the current DRC outbreak?
Laboratory tests have confirmed the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which is a relatively rare form of the disease. The outbreak has been centred in the Ituri province of eastern DRC, with spread recorded across North Kivu and South Kivu as well.
