WEST HAVEN – A family of six will be quarantined inside their West Haven home for 21 days after flying into the United States from Western Africa on Saturday.
The West Haven Health Department will deliver food to the family when necessary and check in twice per day to find out their body temperatures.
It’s the second Ebola alert in as many weeks in New Haven County after the alert at Yale last week.
The West Haven family is not exhibiting symptoms of the Ebola virus, so the quarantine is a precaution according to Mayor Ed O’Brien.
“It was an order from our health department in West Haven and then as of yesterday was from the governor’s office,” said O’Brien Wednesday afternoon.
The family’s names and reason for travel are not being released for their privacy.
It’s unclear if they are West Haven residents or just visitors.
The family landed at JFK Airport in New York and planned to self-quarantine but by Tuesday afternoon, they were under official orders to remain at home.
The Mayor says health department officials will bring them food and monitor them.
“I think it’s a federal guideline. I think what happens is if they do exhibit symptoms they want to know where they are and who they’ve been in contact with,” said Mayor O’Brien.
Whether it’s the health department door or even non-health related offices like the personnel office, an Ebola fact sheet has been posted in front of every door at West Haven City Hall where the mayor said they’ve been preparing for three weeks.
A total of nine people have been quarantined in Connecticut so far, but it’s unclear where the other three are located.
While West Haven officials will keep a close eye on the family in question, Fire Marshal Patrick Pickering remind everyone statewide that in addition to Ebola, some more common viruses remain real threats to our health.
“People are more susceptible to the flu and Enterovirus than they are to Ebola,” said Pickering.
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