Dayton, OH—Today, Congressman Mike Turner and members of the Ohio delegation took action to protect families in Southwest Ohio and throughout the state from the Ebola virus.  The members sent a letter to to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director, Dr. Tom Frieden, requesting support to the state of Ohio in determining any potential exposure, identifying those most at risk, and if necessary, containing and treating anyone that may have come in contact with the deadly disease. 

“Unfortunately, the President failed to take forward-thinking and decisive action to prevent the Ebola outbreak from spreading to the United States. 

Today, the entire Ohio House Delegation took bipartisan action to ensure that the families in our Southwest Ohio community and throughout our state are safe and adequately protected from this deadly disease. 

Together, we called upon the CDC to explain what changes have been made to guarantee that no other Ebola patient travels within our state and implored Director Frieden to consider any and all options for containment in the future—including travel bans and screenings. 

I will continue to work diligently to protect the safety and security of our families as we seek to eradicate the Ebola virus,” said Congressman Turner. 

Full text of the letter below: 

Director Frieden

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Road

Atlanta, GA 30329

Director Friedan,

The current Ebola epidemic in West Africa, and its subsequent arrival in the United States, has become a source of anxiety for many Americans. Over the past week, Ohioans in particular grew concerned about potential exposure to the virus when it was discovered that a nurse caring for an Ebola patient travelled within the state before subsequently testing positive for the virus.

As elected Representatives of the people of Ohio, our primary concern is the health and safety of those we represent. It is our understanding that the Ohio Department of Health and the Governor’s office are working to ensure effective protocols are in place and medical professionals are prepared should any resident of Ohio present symptoms of Ebola. We also understand that strict quarantine procedures have been designed by the Ohio Department of Health that would effectively prevent the spread of the disease if it is found in the State. We are encouraged by these proactive steps and hope that they ultimately prove unnecessary.

We write today to ask that the CDC provide any and all necessary support to the state of Ohio in determining any potential exposure, identifying those most at risk, and if necessary, containing and treating anyone that may have come in contact with the Ebola virus. We further ask for an explanation of the policies which allowed a direct caregiver to an infected person to travel to Ohio and what changes have been made to ensure the same does not happen in the future. Finally, we ask that the CDC keep all options for containment in mind moving forward, including travel screenings and restrictions, if appropriate.

We appreciate the effort being put forward to effectively prevent widespread exposure by federal, state, and local entities and will continue to monitor the effect of the Ebola virus on the people of Ohio and the rest of the country.