Kenyan court halts U.S. plan for Ebola quarantine facility for Americans

A Nairobi High Court on Friday ordered a stop to a U.S. proposal to build a quarantine center in Kenya for Americans who might have been exposed to a rare Ebola strain circulating in northeastern Congo.

The plan, described by an anonymous U.S. administration official, would have sent exposed travelers to the Kenyan facility instead of repatriating them. The location of the center and whether Kenyan authorities had approved it were not disclosed.

The court's injunction will remain in effect until petitions filed by the Katiba Institute, a constitutional watchdog, and the Kenya Law Society are heard on Tuesday. The Kenyan government has only acknowledged broader discussions on Ebola preparedness and a $13.5 million U.S. contribution to those efforts.