The Obama administration has announced America’s first Ebola-related travel restrictions, forcing passengers originating from affected countries in west Africa to fly via US airports with screening procedures in place.

The limited move comes after days of mounting political pressure to introduce outright travel bans on such passengers entering the US, but will instead make sure all recent travellers to Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea are subject to basic tests for fever and face questioning on possible exposure to the disease.

“We are continually evaluating whether additional restrictions or added screening and precautionary measures are necessary to protect the American people and will act accordingly,” added Homeland Security secretary Jeh Johnson in a statement.

Five US airports – New York’s JFK, Newark, Dulles, Atlanta and Chicago – now have the additional Ebola screening protocols in place, which are designed to supplement exit screenings that take place in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea,

There are no direct flights from these three countries into the US, but passengers who have been there in the last 21 days and travel through foreign airports will now be required to first enter the US through one of these five airports. They already handle more than 90% of such travel, according to US officials.

“All passengers arriving in the United States whose travel originates in Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea will be required to fly into one of the five airports that have the enhanced screening and additional resources in place,” said Johnson.

“We are working closely with the airlines to implement these restrictions with minimal travel disruption. If not already handled by the airlines, the few impacted travellers should contact the airlines for rebooking, as needed.”

Previously, the administration had insisted that the screening arrangements at the five airports would be sufficient because only a small number of travellers from west Africa arrived through other cities.

But speaking after the latest announcement, which follows a similar climbdown on its earlier opposition to appointing a single Ebola “czar” to co-ordinate its response, White House officials insisted US policy against wider travel restrictions was not shifting.

“Our views on the travel ban have not changed,” said spokesman Josh Earnest. “The president has reached the conclusion, with the help of expert advisers, that a travel ban would only serve to put the American public at greater risk.”

It said the new homeland security arrangements had taken some time to put in place because of the need to liaise with third-party countries in Europe, where many passengers from west Africa travel through on their way to the US.

Ironically, the news came as Rwanda announced new travel restrictions on travellers arriving from the US and Spain, the two countries outside Africa with confirmed Ebola infections.

“Visitors who have been in the United States or Spain during the last 22 days are now required to report their medical condition – regardless of whether they are experiencing symptoms of Ebola,” said a statement from Rwandan officials.

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