Dulles Stepping Up Screenings To Keep Ebola Out Of The U.S.

WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- Five of the nation's airports are stepping up screenings for people flying in from West Africa. One of them, Dulles International, is right here in our region.

Christie Ileto has an inside look at the efforts to keep Ebola out of America.

Jaqueline Elm landed at Dulles International Airport from Sweden. The first thing she saw in customs…

"This screen that shows all the different sicknesses from all the different parts of the world," she said.

On it—Ebola. Customers officers at Dulles are now armed with thermometers, screening those coming from Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia for the deadly virus—countries with the highest death toll.

"One of us will take a temperature on the forehead," said Melvin Hernandez, Customs and Border Protection officer.

CBS News got a closer look at what an Ebola screening at Dulles entails. Passengers get interviewed, checked for symptoms and info to take home.

"We give them a care kit so they can basically track and monitor themselves," an officer said.

Dulles is one of five airports in the country screening passengers from West Africa for Ebola. If a passenger detects symptoms, they are immediately quarantined.

"A special EMS transport arrangement will be calling EMS for a dedicated hospital for receiving and evaluation," said Dr. Marty Cetron, Centers for Disease Control.

The CDC estimates about 150 people a day from Ebola-infected countries enter the United States.

"It's fine to screen them and make sure they don't have it," said Venki Nagarajan, passenger.

Passengers say they would rather be safe than sorry.

"I feel it when it comes to a sickness like that, it's really serious. It's belter to take the precautions that are necessary to keep it tame."

There are no direct flights from the three West African in that hot zone to the United States.

Screenings have also been ramped up at JFK, Newark, Chicago O'Hare and Atlanta airports.

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