Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement following the Centers for Disease Control confirmation of the first case of Ebola to be diagnosed in the United States:

“Communicable diseases do not stop at borders.  While the likelihood of a major outbreak in the United States is still very unlikely, with this case, it is more clear than ever that the rapid spread of Ebola in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone presents a clear and present danger not only to West Africa, but to the broader international community.
 
“This is why I have been seeking to advance an urgent, effective, international response to the Ebola crisis.  The United States must work with the African governments at ground zero, other donors, the private sector, and competent nongovernmental and international organizations to detect cases, get infected persons into isolation, and trace contacts.  With every day that goes by without effective detection and isolation, the number of cases will expand exponentially. We cannot stand by as this deadly disease spreads.”

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