Florida Politicians Call for Travel Ban to Fight Ebola Epidemic

President Barack Obama’s decision not to limit travel to and from the West African countries hardest hit by the Ebola virus is drawing fire from a few of Florida’s representatives in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Rep Dennis Ross, a Republican, and Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, have both criticized the move. While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced tougher security screenings at home American airports, the White House said a travel ban is not under consideration, Click Orlando reported.

Ross says that’s a mistake.

“I am deeply concerned that this Administration is not taking the necessary precautions to prevent any further cases of Ebola in the United States,” Ross wrote in an email to media. “President Obama’s recent comments stating that it’s ‘highly unlikely’ Ebola would reach our shores were completely wrong.”

Ross and 26 other representatives sent a letter to Obama Wednesday requesting the ban on the heels of the death of the Ebola patient in Dallas. Rep. Alan Grayson, a Florida Democrat, also signed the letter.

While Nelson was not party to the letter, he is also calling on Obama to “reexamine the travel issue from the standpoint of visas,” Click Orlando reported.

Nelson has written his own letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. That letter went out on Tuesday.

“It would seem that another means of reducing the chances of exposure to the virus here at home would be to temporarily suspend unnecessary travel to the United States under existing visas and the issuance of new visas for citizens of countries that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies as areas with high rates of infections,” the Sunshine State News quoted the letter as saying.

Ross said he’s acting on behalf of constituents in requesting the ban. Ross’ District 15 includes portions of Polk, Hillsborough and Pasco counties, including Brandon, New Tampa, Lakeland and Temple Terrace.

“My constituents and I do not want to begin the venture of quarantining those living in our country,” the Ross email to media stated. “Unfortunately, by allowing travel to and from countries that have been infected with this deadly virus, we could be heading in that direction. The fact is that there are uncertainties about this virus so we must take the proper precautions.”

The CDC says the West African Ebola epidemic is the largest in history. As of Oct. 5, it has recorded 8,033 cases with 4,461 of those cases laboratory confirmed. A total of 3,865 deaths have been blamed on the virus.

Symptoms of Ebola include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea and unexplained hemorrhaging. Symptoms can take up to 21 days after exposure to present. There is no known treatment for the virus. Recovery, the CDC says, “depends on good supportive clinical care and the patient’s immune response.”

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