Texas Republicans call for tougher Ebola screenings

A pair of Texas Republicans are urging the Obama administration to strengthen Ebola screenings at the Dallas airport where the country’s first Ebola victim entered the U.S. last month. 

Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Michael McCaul wrote to President Obama on Friday calling for tougher screenings at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, where Ebola victim Thomas Eric Duncan arrived last month, as well as Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

{mosads}The Obama administration announced earlier this week that five international airports — in New York, D.C., Chicago and Atlanta — would begin new screening procedures for passengers arriving from West Africa. 

But the Texas lawmakers warned that the country’s plan to begin screening for Ebola at five U.S. airports “may not adequately protect” the public from the deadly outbreak.

About 94 percent of passengers from Ebola-stricken countries pass through those five airports, which is fewer than 200 people per day, according to the White House.

Cornyn and McCaul raised concerns about the 6 percent of travelers who would not be screened. 

A Democratic House member also said Friday that the planned Ebola screenings may not be enough. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said the screenings may have to be expanded to other cities as officials struggle to calm passengers’ fears.

Separately, Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) wrote to the Department of Homeland Security and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urging for screenings at Texas airports.

As part of the planned screenings, trained Customs agents will observe the passengers for illness and ask “health and exposure” questions, while trained medical staff will take each person’s temperature. If a patient appears unhealthy or indicates on their health form that they may have been exposed to the disease, they will receive further evaluation and could be quarantined.

The Texas lawmakers also asked how the U.S. planned to tighten security at entry points along the Texas-Mexico border. That issue has been less of a concern among U.S. health officials as no Ebola cases have been reported in Central America.

Travelers from West Africa only have their temperatures checked and fill out forms when exiting that country. That procedure drew criticism after an Ebola-infected man went through that type of screening in Liberia and arrived in the U.S.

Symptoms of Ebola typically occur within two weeks of contact and the disease can only be diagnosed when a person presents symptoms, making it hard to know who might have been exposed.

This post was updated at 8:40 p.m.