Fort Monmouth Will House Ebola Quarantined Travelers

The state Department of Human Services and Fort Monmouth have a six month agreement which allows those traveling to Newark Liberty International Airport from West Africa, who may have come in contact with the Ebola virus, to be quarantined at the facility.

Eatontown Mayor Dennis Connelly said that although local officials are not happy about the location of the quarantine facility, he does not believe it poses as a threat to the community since it will only house those who were possibly exposed to the virus, not those with actual symptoms, according to The Asbury Park Press.

“It’s important to note that none of the quarantine locations have been used to date, but it is essential for the state to have a plan in place,” DHS spokeswoman Nicole Brossoie told nj.com.

Other Eatontown borough officials have said they were unaware the facility was operational until the DHS contacted the fire department on Wednesday to do a walk through and inspection of the site.

The base, surrounded by Eatontown, Oceanport and Tinton Falls, was made available as of last Wednesday by the state Department of Human Services, according to nj.com.

Connelly said on Facebook that no one has been quarantined at the base, which is surrounded by Eatontown, Oceanport and Tinton Falls. “I assure everyone that Eatontown Council Members, the FMERA (Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority) Board Members and our area county and state legislators were not involved with this decision,” accordong to NJ101.5.

“This lease was imposed on (the FMERA) by the executive branch and was not vetted at a public meeting or voted on by the entire board (of freeholders),” Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian Burry told the Asbury Park Press as reported by NJ101.5.

DHS spokeswoman Nicole Brossoie told nj.com that her department was in “regular” communication with Monmouth County officials about the plan.

A passenger believed to be from Liberia whoexhibited possible symptoms of Ebola upon arrival at Newark Liberty International Airport did not have the disease, officials said in October.

After an examination by physicians at University Hospital in Newark, “the symptoms of one individual were found to be consistent with another, minor treatable condition unrelated to Ebola,” said Donna Leusner, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Health, in a statement.

The man’s daughter, who was traveling with him, was “asymptomatic,” Leusner said in the statement.

The United Airlines flight from Brussels was met by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials and removed the man, who was traveling with his daughter on United Flight 998, from the plane by CDC crew in full hazmat gear, according to ABC news. His daughter was removed as well.

A federal official said the passenger was exbihiting “flu-like symptoms,” and other passengers remained on the plane while the two were being removed. The passenger was determined to be not contagious, and the rest of the passengers were allowed to depart, a source with knowledge of the situation told ABC News.