Now that a case of Ebola, which causes victims to bleed from the eyes and ears, has been confirmed in the U.S., concern has ratcheted up a few notches and some are calling for a crackdown on travel.
But bans on travelers from Ebola-ravaged west African countries are not warranted at this point.
With proper vigilance, health authorities should be able to contain the spread of this virus in the U.S., especially since its transmission requires close contact with bodily fluids.
For the time being, the U.S. public health response must center on increased watchfulness by those on the health care front lines.
In the first U.S. case, the infected man Texas hospital personnel that he had visited Liberia. This fact, inexplicably, was not relayed to doctors and the man was released, only to seek medical care again several days later when his symptoms had worsened.
Catching potential cases immediately is the best way to deal with this public health menace.
