Obama, who has called the epidemic a national security crisis, has faced criticism for not doing more to stem the outbreak. The WHO said last week Ebola had killed more than 2,400 people out of 4,784 cases in west Africa.
U.S. officials stressed it was very unlikely the Ebola crisis could come to the United States. Measures were being taken to screen passengers flying out of the region, they said, and protocols were in place to isolate and treat anyone who arrived in the United States showing symptoms of the disease.
“MORE EFFECTIVE”
The president will visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta on Tuesday to show his commitment. The stepped-up effort he will announce includes 3,000 military troops and a joint forces command center in Monrovia to coordinate efforts with the U.S. government and other international partners.
The plan will “ensure that the entire international response effort is more effective and helps to … turn the tide in this crisis,” a senior administration official told reporters on Monday, ahead of the president’s trip.
“The significant expansion that the president will detail … really represents … areas where the U.S. military will bring unique capabilities that we believe will improve the effectiveness of the entire global response,” he said.