Canada announces travel ban over Ebola concerns
The Canadian government announced on Sunday that it would deny entry to any foreigner who has been in Congo within the past 21 days as part of new, temporary border measures to combat the spread of Ebola, reports BritPanorama.
This decision contradicts advice from the World Health Organization (WHO), which recommends against travel or trade restrictions with Congo, currently facing a significant Ebola outbreak. The U.N. health agency has cautioned that such restrictions can foster stigma and complicate efforts to control epidemics.
“People from affected regions and African communities have faced unfair suspicion,” stated the WHO last month, adding that “the spread of Ebola is not determined by nationality or ethnicity.” The WHO further assesses the risk of the Congo’s outbreak spreading internationally as low.
In its announcement, Canada’s Public Health Agency noted that limiting entry for foreign nationals who have been in Congo in the last 21 days is intended to reduce public health risks for Canadians. This policy is set to take effect on Monday, July 20, at 11:59 p.m., though the agency did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
Ebola is primarily transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. As of July 15, Congo has reported over 2,100 Ebola cases, with 828 fatalities.
Simultaneously, last week, the U.S. introduced similar measures, barring Americans who had been in Congo within the past 21 days from entering the country via commercial aviation. Seven American aid workers currently in Kenya for quarantine have also been mentioned among those affected by these new regulations.
The intersection of public health policy and international travel remains a complex issue as nations navigate safeguarding their citizens while addressing global health crises.
