HOUSTON — Harris County and Houston public health officials said the risk of Ebola virus disease in the Houston area and the United States remains low, even as they launched a joint monitoring dashboard and reported travelers under observation in connection with an ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Harris County Public Health department and the Houston Health Department launched an Ebola dashboard that tracks information about the disease, including symptoms, transmission, prevention, and travel advisories, and reports monitoring data for the region.
The dashboard shows that 17 travelers, likely arriving from Ebola-affected countries in Africa, are currently under monitoring. No confirmed Ebola cases have been reported in the Houston area.
The Associated Press reported that health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo said there have been more than 360 confirmed Ebola cases, including 62 deaths, in the ongoing outbreak.
Dr. Theresa Tran, director of the Houston Health Department, said the dashboard reflects coordination between city and county health agencies.
“This joint dashboard is part of our ongoing commitment to collaboration and transparency in public health,” Tran said in a Thursday news release. “Its purpose is to provide timely, shared access to information and situational awareness for our community and partners, but it does not indicate that Ebola is a public health threat.”
Tran said public health agencies remain prepared to respond to any potential disease threats.
Public health officials also said the likelihood of an Ebola outbreak in Houston remains low during upcoming events, including the FIFA World Cup matches scheduled in the city.
Houston will host seven World Cup matches beginning June 14. The city expects the national football team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to use Houston as its base and to play its first match in the city on June 17.
Tran said Congolese players and staff do not pose an increased public health risk because they have been outside affected areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before traveling, following clearance procedures by FIFA and U.S. authorities.
“They are not any more of a public health threat than you or I at this time,” Tran said at a Tuesday news conference.
In a briefing to the Houston City Council last month, Tran said any Congolese fans attending matches at NRG Stadium would only enter the United States after federal approval.
The health departments said they will continue to update the Ebola dashboard weekly and will maintain a separate internal monitoring system during the World Cup to track general health incidents.
