Five airports across the United States will start screening passengers arriving from Ebola-affected countries in West Africa, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said during his daily briefing on Wednesday.
Earnest said that as passenger enter the country, their temperature will be taken to make sure they are not exhibiting symptoms of Ebola.
The announcement comes the same day that first man diagnosed with Ebola in the United States died at a Dallas hospital. Thomas Eric Duncan flew from Liberia into the United States on Sept. 24. He exposed his family and healthcare workers to the virus, which unleashed a huge federal and state effort to contain any spread.
So far, no one has exhibited symptoms.
Earnest said the new screenings will be conducted at five airports: JFK in New York, New Jersey's Newark, Chicago's O'Hare airport, Washington Dulles and Atlanta's Hartsfield airport.
Earnest said those five airports handle 94 percent of the travelers coming from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Quoting unnamed U.S. officials, The New York Times reports that the new measures could go into effect as early as this weekend.
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