White House Requests $1.4 Billion in Emergency Funding for Ebola Outbreak

The White House has asked Congress for more than $1.4 billion to help contain an Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.

Of the total amount, $800 million would support the creation of a quarantine and response center in Kenya. This portion would also cover expanded treatment capacity, medical supplies, contact tracing, and infection control efforts.

Another $500 million is intended for global health security initiatives. These programs focus on building laboratory capacity and improving disease monitoring systems.

The remaining $90 million would fund the evacuation and medical transport of any U.S. citizens infected with the virus.

The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain and is centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Officials have confirmed more than 1,000 infections and a minimum of 267 deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautioned that the situation could worsen without stronger containment measures. The World Health Organization, however, maintains that the risk of the disease spreading internationally stays low.