The U.S. Government is implementing measures aimed at responding to and containing the outbreak of the Ebola virus, both within the United States and globally. The safety of members of the foreign mission community, who are in frequent contact with persons coming from all parts of the world, is very important to the Department. As a result, the Department seeks to ensure that foreign missions, international organizations, and their members in the United States are aware of these efforts and the coordinated resources used to the counter the threat of Ebola.
Such efforts require the participation of and coordination by, all segments of society, including the foreign mission community.
The full range of relevant U.S. Government agencies — including the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — are increasing every possible form of assistance to the affected countries, their citizens and international organizations responding to the outbreak. U.S. assistance includes equipment and other essential supplies, public health messaging efforts, and technical and medical expertise.
The Department’s Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) is prepared to directly assist the Chiefs of Mission with any issues associated with measures taken to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus within the United States.