A rare Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda has prompted at least seven countries to impose entry bans and increase screenings.
Since May 15, the WHO has reported 900 suspected cases and 220 suspected deaths in the DRC. Uganda has confirmed five cases and one death.
Governments in North America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Africa have acted quickly to block arrivals from affected areas. The United States is not allowing non-citizens and green card holders who have visited the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past 21 days.
Canada has announced a 90-day ban on residents of those countries and requires returning citizens to quarantine.
The Bahamas has set a 30-day entry restriction. Jordan has stopped arrivals from the DRC and Uganda, and Bahrain has banned travelers from South Sudan, the DRC, and Uganda. In Africa, both Uganda and the DRC have stopped flights, buses, and boat crossings between them, but freight and humanitarian traffic can still cross.
Some countries are choosing stricter screening instead of full travel bans. India has added more airport checks and postponed major international events, such as the India-Africa summit.
Thailand now limits entry to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport from the DRC and Uganda, with testing required on arrival. Mexico has also increased airport screening.
There is ongoing debate about whether travel restrictions are effective. Supporters say strict border controls help stop the virus from spreading to other countries. Opponents, including the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), point out that Ebola spreads only through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated objects, not through casual travel.
ICAO asks governments not to use blanket bans and suggests that exit screening in affected countries works better.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said current measures are not enough, but he believes that working together with the right resources, contact tracing, and treatment centers can stop the outbreak. “We have stopped every previous Ebola outbreak, and we will stop this one, too,” he said.
For now, countries around the world have put different bans and screenings in place, raising concerns about how well these measures can actually stop the virus.