One U.S. Coast Guard sector says it will contact ships that have recently been to Ebola-affected countries to ask whether passengers have symptoms of the virus before they’re allowed into port. It issued a bulletin to the maritime community in Long Island Sound, which includes parts of New York and Connecticut, on Monday. The bulletin describes protocols being put into place due to Ebola. A spokesman at Coast Guard headquarters in Washington says he's unaware of other sectors taking similar action.
The Coast Guard says the policy applies to vessels that visited affected countries within their last five ports of call. The Obama administration is considering whether to institute extra screening at airports to check passengers coming from Ebola-stricken countries. It has said it won't halt travel from those countries.
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