Increasing calls for international travel ban in light of Ebola outbreak

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Father Paul Akinyode is excited to meet up with old friends in Houston. Thursday afternoon, he landed at Bush Intercontinental Airport from Nigeria. He is not surprised that Ebola is on everyone's minds, and he says rightly so.

"Americans should be worried. Ebola is a deadly disease, it kills so fast," says Father Akinyode.

For the past few days, there has been a growing drumbeat from some in America urging for increased travel restriction. Thursday, Texas Senator Ted Cruz told supporters that in his view a commercial flight ban isn't enough. Cruz says the US should not grant visas for certain countries right now.

"We should temporarily suspend all travel visas for people coming from countries afflicted with an active Ebola outbreak," said Cruz. "This should be a bipartisan issue."

Even without any official travel ban from West Africa countries, some businesses are already seeing an effect. Gloria Towolawi had to cancel a Houston conference this week, because half the attendees were supposed to travel from Africa.

"Two hundred nine were supposed to come in from West Africa," she said. "And none came, none. How am I supposed to have a conference?"

Father Akinyode doesn't think a travel ban is necessary. He and other travelers are already screened at their home airports before they can board a plane. However, he and his friends say what is needed are similar health screenings at all international airports based in the United States, surprised that isn't being done now.

"When I came back (from Nigeria) there was no screening and I was like, whoa," said Ayo Efodigbue, who lives in the Houston area, but hails from Nigeria.