44 Ohio Residents Monitored For Possible Ebola Exposure

COLUMBUS, OH — Dozens of Ohio residents are being monitored this week for a possible exposure to the Ebola virus in Africa. Gov. Mike DeWine made the development public in his veto message for Senate Bill 22, which sets to limit his emergency powers.

"Today in Ohio, health officials are actively monitoring 44 people who have returned from areas of Africa with active outbreaks of Ebola," DeWine said in the veto message Tuesday.

Viruses that cause Ebola are located mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The governor said it's believed the monitored Ohioans are at low risk of contracting Ebola but said the implementation of Senate Bill 22 would hamper the health system from dealing with a possible outbreak here.

"SB 22 would prevent our public health apparatus from swinging into rapid action and taking decisive steps to isolate, quarantine, and protect the public from the threat of this deadly virus until a medical diagnosis can be obtained," DeWine said.

The Ohio General Assembly voted Wednesday to override DeWine's veto. The bill is expected to go into effect three months from now, the Ohio Capital Journal reported.

See Also: DeWine Vetoes Senate Bill 22; Ohio Legislature Overrides DeWine Veto

The legislation gives the Ohio General Assembly power over any future health orders issued by the Ohio Department of Health or local health agencies. DeWine said the bill "jeopardizes the safety of every Ohioan."

"It goes well beyond the issues that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic," DeWine said. "SB 22 strikes at the heart of local health departments' ability to move quickly to protect the public from the most serious emergencies Ohio could face."