President Obama Assures Ebola Virus Outbreak In the U.S. Is “Extremely Low”

President Obama announced, after meeting with top health and security officials about the Ebola outbreak in Africa, that the U.S. government is preparing additional measures to screen passengers in the U.S. and overseas as part of the expanding effort to contain the virus.

“We’re … going to be working on protocols to do additional passenger screening both at the source and here in the United States,” the president said.

Dr. Tom Frieden, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also confirmed that extra screening might include asking travelers who they had contact with and checking to see if they have a fever.

After his meeting, Obama tried to assure Americans that the chance of an outbreak in the U.S. is “extremely low.” He said procedures are in place to “rapidly evaluate” those with symptoms.

He also scolded other countries for not doing enough. “We have not seen other countries step up as aggressively as they need to,” he said. “I said at the United Nations and I will repeat that this is an area where everybody has to chip in and everybody has to move quickly in order for us to get this under control.”

Amid widespread public concern, the Obama administration has said that it won’t shut down flights from affected countries, particularly those in West Africa, arguing this would be counterproductive by restricting aid flights.

The Ebola outbreak is believed to have killed more than 3,400 people in West Africa and has taken the biggest toll in Liberia. There aren’t enough beds in isolation units to keep up with the hundreds who get sick each week.

The U.S. military is beginning work in the Liberian capital Monrovia on the main structure of the 25-bed clinic that will treat health care workers infected with Ebola. The U.S. has also promised to build 17 other Ebola treatment centers, which would have space for 100 patients each.