国内英语新闻:U.S. requires West Africa travelers to arrive at five airports

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government announced Tuesday that all travelers from three West African Ebola-affected countries will be required to fly into one of the five airports that are conducting enhanced screening.

The travel restrictions, to go into effect Wednesday, will ensure all passengers from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea are subject to secondary screening and added protocols, including having their temperature taken, before they can be admitted into the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.

Last week, the DHS implemented enhanced screening measures at five airports, including New York's JFK, New Jersey's Newark, Washington Dulles, Atlanta and Chicago. These airports account for about 94 percent of travelers flying to the United States from these countries.

At present there are no direct, non-stop commercial flights from the three countries to any airport in the United States.

"We are working closely with the airlines to implement these restrictions with minimal travel disruption," Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said in a statement.

"If not already handled by the airlines, the few impacted travelers should contact the airlines for rebooking, as needed."

The first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States was Thomas Eric Duncan, a Liberian national. He arrived in the United States to visit family on Sept. 20 and died Oct. 8. Two nurses who treated him have become infected.