Bloomberg is reporting that Louisiana has a message for many of the scientists and medical experts studying Ebola and aiding efforts to fight the deadly virus in West Africa: Stay away.
Louisiana officials on Tuesday sent a letter to members of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene—which is holding its annual conference in New Orleans next week—informing the group that if any of its members have recently been to any of the West African countries where the virus has infected more than 13,000 people, they shouldn’t attend the meeting.
“We do hope that you will consider a future visit to New Orleans, when we can welcome you appropriately,” says Kathy Klieber, Louisiana’s Secretary of Health & Hospitals, and Kevin Davis, director of the Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, in the letter.
The society of researchers, medical professionals and scientists dates back more than a century, according to its website, and has members around the world. The letter disinvites any registrants who’ve cared for people with Ebola in the last three weeks.
“In Louisiana, we love to welcome visitors, but we must balance that hospitality with the protection of Louisiana residents and other visitors,” the state officials say.
There are 3,588 people registered to attend the meeting, though the society doesn’t know how many have recently been in Liberia, Guinea or Sierra Leone, where the outbreak is located.
“We regret that some of our attendees may be affected by the state’s travel advisory and we request your cooperation,” the medical group says in a letter to its members.
