WASHINGTON — The United States government has announced new measures to prevent the spread of Ebola from the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The US is screening air travellers from affected areas and has temporarily suspended visa services in parts of DRC.
US health authorities confirmed the measures on Monday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said airport screening will involve temperature checks, symptom questionnaires, and observation protocols for travellers arriving from Ebola-affected regions.
The State Department confirmed that visa processing has been temporarily suspended at select consular locations in the DRC. The agency said the suspension is a precautionary step to protect consular staff and reduce the movement of individuals from heavily affected areas.
The Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda has claimed over 80 lives. The World Health Organisation declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern last week. The Bundibugyo strain behind the current outbreak is considered less deadly than the Zaire strain but still highly dangerous.
Global Concern Grows
The US response signals growing international concern about the outbreak. Several European countries have also introduced entry screening measures for travellers from the affected region. The WHO has urged all countries with direct flight connections to DRC and Uganda to introduce health screening at ports of entry.
For Nigeria, the US measures are a reminder that the international community is taking the outbreak very seriously. The NCDC has already raised its alert level and deployed additional surveillance at Nigerian airports and land borders.
Furthermore, Nigeria has a large diaspora community in the US. Many Nigerians travel regularly between both countries. Nigerian health officials say they are coordinating with US counterparts to monitor returning travellers and ensure rapid detection of any suspected cases.
What It Means for Africa
The temporary visa suspension affects Africans planning to travel to the US from affected zones. Civil society groups in DRC have expressed concern that the suspension could disrupt humanitarian workers and health responders who need to travel.
The WHO said it is working with the US government to ensure that emergency health and humanitarian personnel are not blocked from accessing affected areas. It said robust travel restrictions that block aid workers often do more harm than good during outbreak responses.
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health has not yet announced any changes to visa processing or entry requirements for travellers from DRC and Uganda. Officials say they are monitoring the situation and will act if the risk level for Nigeria increases significantly.
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