Two American aid workers infected with Ebola in Africa will be brought back to the United States for treatment, it was announced Friday — sparking panic online that the deadly virus would create a US epidemic.
Instead of an outpouring of compassion for the two infected workers who will be brought from Liberia to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Twitter exploded into a hotbed of anxiety as users — including such celebs as Donald Trump — blasted feds for allowing the virus to enter the country for the first time.
“Stop the EBOLA patients from entering the U.S. Treat them, at the highest level, over there. THE UNITED STATES HAS ENOUGH PROBLEMS!” Trump tweeted Friday.
An outbreak of the virus has killed more than 700 people in West Africa and infected 1,300 more since March, the World Health Organization reports.
Dr. Kent Brantly and missionary Nancy Writebol were infected while treating victims of the epidemic for Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian relief organization, and the group arranged for their evacuation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CNN reported.
Many see treating the two on US soil as too great a risk.
“The 2 doctors with Ebola knew the risks. They are doctors! To bring them back to Atlanta thinking everything is under control is very naive!” wrote one tweeter, Cynthia Buchanan, of Eastlake, Ohio.
Joe Smith of Birmingham, Ala., tweeted, “I’m telling y’all something bad is going to come of them bringing this Ebola patient to Atlanta.”
Ebola patient will be brought to the U.S. in a few days – now I know for sure that our leaders are incompetent. KEEP THEM OUT OF HERE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2014
Another tweeted, “Am I supposed to be excited that they’re bring an Ebola patient within 50 miles of my home?”
Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC, is asking fearful Americans to open their hearts.
“Our role is to ensure in the transportation and care. Any risk to others is minimal,” he told CNN. “I know that it creates a fear in people, but I hope that people’s fear won’t outweigh their compassion.”
President Obama said Friday he is taking the outbreak seriously and said the United States is taking precautions for next week’s US-African summit in DC.
“We’re making sure we’re doing screening as they leave their country. We’ll do additional screening when they’re here,” the president said.
Meanwhile, New York City ran a massive surprise drill on Friday to test its preparedness for a biological attack or health crisis.
In what was called the largest such drill in city history, about 1,500 city employees were tasked with delivering medicines to 30 “points of dispensing,” or PODs.
Officials acknowledged that such plans are in place in case Ebola is detected at one of the metro-area airports.