Global alert: 11 countries impose strict travel restrictions to combat Ebola

Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:

Governments of 11 countries around the world reacted to the organization's announcement. Global HealthThe Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern,” warning of a high risk of the infection spreading to neighboring countries, which has led to stricter travel procedures and health controls for those arriving from affected areas.

Widespread US tightening

In the United States, authorities imposed strict restrictions on the entry of non-citizens coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, and extended these restrictions to include green card holders who had visited those countries within 21 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also included Atlanta Airport on a list of airports subject to enhanced screening procedures, including temperature checks, symptom tracking, and travel history monitoring.

Border closures and isolation measures

For its part, Uganda announced the closure of its border with Congo for four weeks, with limited exceptions for humanitarian teams and supplies, and imposed a mandatory 21-day quarantine on authorized arrivals.

In Canada, it was decided to ban entry for citizens of affected countries for 90 days, with a quarantine imposed on returnees, while the Bahamas imposed a similar ban for 30 days, along with strict screening procedures.

Asia and the Middle East are on the front line

In Asia, India has stepped up screening procedures at airports, warning its citizens against unnecessary travel to outbreak areas, while Thailand has imposed entry restrictions through a specific airport with mandatory quarantine in place.

In the Arab world, Jordan announced the suspension of entry for those arriving from Congo and Uganda, while Bahrain decided to ban entry for travelers from affected countries for 30 days.

Preventive measures vary globally.

In Africa, Kenya has strengthened border screening procedures and activated isolation centers, while the Cayman Islands has tightened health controls after detecting suspected cases.

The European Union, however, considered the risk of infection spreading to its territory to be still low, noting that screening upon entry is not necessary at the moment.

In Latin America, Mexico announced stricter screening procedures at airports, imposing a 21-day quarantine on arrivals from affected areas, along with official warnings against travel to them.

Growing global concern

The measures reflect growing international concern over the Ebola outbreak, given past experiences that have shown the virus's rapid spread and severity, putting global health systems to a new test to contain the crisis and prevent it from turning into a widespread pandemic.