A Global Threat and a Global Response

Speaking at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta yesterday, President Barack Obama called the efforts to combat the Ebola epidemic in West Africa “the largest international response in the history of the CDC.” In his remarks, the President explained how the United States will be responding to this epidemic, emphasizing that the Ebola epidemic represents a global threat, and demands a global response.

The President outlined new steps being taken by the United States to contain the epidemic, which he said is “spiraling out of control.” Among the steps announced is an air bridge to get health workers and medical supplies into West Africa faster and a military command center in Liberia to support civilian efforts across the region. He is also ordering 3,000 U.S. military personnel to the affected region.

The President summed up this epidemic, saying, “Right now, the world has the responsibility to act, to step up, to do more.”

For more information on the U.S. response to the Ebola epidemic, visit the White House web site. The White House also posted a blog with photos from the President’s visit to the CDC.