Canada to temporarily ban entry of residents from three African nations over Ebola outbreak concerns

Canada announced on Tuesday that it will temporarily restrict entry for residents of three African countries as health authorities respond to growing concerns over the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa.

The Canadian government said residents of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and South Sudan will be barred from entering the country for 90 days beginning Wednesday, May 27. Officials said the measure is intended to reduce the risk of Ebola entering and spreading within Canada.

The move follows the World Health Organization’s decision last week to raise the risk assessment for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the DRC to “very high” and declare outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern.

Canada’s action comes after the United States imposed similar restrictions, barring non-citizens who had recently travelled to the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan from entering the country.

Canada’s public health agency also said that Canadian citizens, permanent residents and certain other foreign nationals arriving from affected regions without symptoms will be required to undergo a 21-day quarantine period starting May 30.

Meanwhile, reports had suggested that The Bahamas was considering similar restrictions on travellers who had recently visited the same three countries. However, authorities in the Caribbean nation opted instead for enhanced health screening procedures and possible quarantine measures for travellers who had been in the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan within the previous 30 days.

No Ebola cases have been reported so far in Canada, the United States or The Bahamas.