Watch CBS News

Health Officials: Ebola Monitoring Has Cost New Jersey $2.6 Million

EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- It has cost New Jersey more than $2.6 million to monitor passengers arriving at Newark Liberty Airport for Ebola in recent months.

The state Health Department said 641 of the more than 1,400 people traveling from Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone from October to March were monitored for Ebola for 21 days, WCBS 880's Levon Putney reported.

Twenty-one of them were hospitalized for symptoms, but none tested positive.

Ebola Monitoring Costs New Jersey $2.6 Million

Senate President Steve Sweeney said the monitoring is needed.

"You can't say we can't afford it," said Sweeney, D-West Deptford. "There are things that you can't afford not to deal with."

As lawmakers begin to put together the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Sweeney said he will look to provide more money to the Health Department for Ebola funding.

"When you have something that is as dangerous as that, that enters your state, just like this country, you can't ignore it," he said.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.