New Ebola checks at Atlanta airport for travelers from three African countries

U. S. health officials have quietly added more screening spots for travelers coming home from parts of Africa where Ebola keeps showing up. Atlanta’s busy international airport now joins one near Washington in checking passengers arriving from Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. Travelers from these countries who land in Atlanta will have their temperatures taken and answer questions about possible contact with the virus. This isn’t brand new—Atlanta has done similar checks before, so staff already know how to handle the extra work without causing long lines.The new push is part of America’s wider plan to keep Ebola out. Airports watch for sick passengers, airlines report anyone who looks ill, and teams follow up with travelers once they’re back home. The World Health Organization says the current outbreak in Congo has already sickened over 750 people, mostly from the Bundibugyo type of Ebola. Even though the numbers might seem small compared with past outbreaks, just one sick traveler slipping through could spark a local scare. Last week the government took a tougher step: barring visitors who were recently in any of those three African countries. The rule only applies to foreigners, not Americans returning home. Critics say travel bans can backfire by making it hard for health workers to get to outbreak zones, which can actually let the virus spread farther.