2014 Ebola Outbreak

in Alerts
August 12th, 2014

We are aware that members of the Boston University community may have questions about the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, and the few cases reported to date in Nigeria. Several offices at BU, including Global Programs and both Student and Occupational Health Services, are monitoring the situation and the potential impact of Ebola on BU travel, both to and from West Africa.

Boston University Travelers

Boston University recommends that students, faculty and staff defer University-sponsored travel to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria until further notice. This recommendation is made in recognition of alerts and warnings provided by the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and the U.S. Department of State in response to the Ebola outbreak.

Further, travelers to West Africa should also be aware that in the effort to contain the outbreak, several countries have imposed travel restrictions limiting or prohibiting entry of persons traveling from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. These restrictions may be expanded in coming days and weeks.

For more information on travel contact: Joe Finkhouse, Associate Director, Health, Safety and Security, Global Programs, 617-353-5401 or finkhous@bu.edu.

Students, Faculty and Staff Returning from the Affected Areas

If you have traveled recently to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, or Nigeria, please pay attention to your health. Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to the Ebola virus, though 8-10 days is the most common.

If you have traveled and become ill with flu-like symptoms (such as fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, sore throat) please consult a health care provider immediately to discuss your symptoms and recent travel, and to make arrangements to get timely care for your illness.

  • Students should contact Student Health Services to arrange an appointment: 617-353-3575
  • Faculty and Staff should contact the Occupational Health Center, 617-353-6630 or the Research Occupational Health Program at 617-414-ROHP (7647).

Risk to Individuals on Campus and in the Community

There have been no cases of person to person transmission of Ebola in the United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and other authorities stress that Ebola is not, in fact, highly contagious. It is difficult to contract, and is only spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or body. It cannot be spread (like colds or seasonal flu) through the air or through casual contact. Individuals who do not show symptoms are not contagious, including to roommates, classmates, etc.

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