Canada, Bahamas tighten border controls over Ebola outbreak

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Canada and The Bahamas have joined the United States in imposing temporary travel restrictions linked to the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Africa.

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The new measures target travellers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan as governments move to prevent the spread of the virus.

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In a statement issued Tuesday, Canada’s Public Health Agency announced that residents from the affected countries would be barred from entering the country for 90 days beginning Wednesday.

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“This will mean that even those with a previously approved temporary resident visa, electronic travel authorization (eTA) or permanent resident visa will not be allowed to travel to Canada while their immigration document is suspended,” the statement said.

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The agency added that Canadian citizens and permanent residents who had visited the affected countries within the previous 21 days would be required to quarantine for 21 days upon arrival.

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Canada’s Health Minister, Marjorie Michel, said the temporary restrictions were necessary to limit the risk of Ebola entering the country.

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According to her, the border measures would help “reduce the risk of Ebola disease entering the country while ensuring that travellers are managed based on their level of risk.”

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The Bahamas also announced stricter health protocols for travellers arriving from the three African nations.

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Authorities in the Caribbean country said foreigners who had been in the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan within 30 days before arriving in the Bahamas could face enhanced health screenings and possible quarantine measures.

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The Bahamian government said the restrictions would take immediate effect and remain valid for 30 days, pending further review by the country’s health ministry.

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Last week, the United States introduced similar travel restrictions targeting non-citizens arriving from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.

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The US is also expected to establish a quarantine facility in Kenya to accommodate Americans exposed to the Ebola virus during the outbreak in the region.

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Despite the growing restrictions, there have been no confirmed Ebola cases in Kenya, the United States, Canada or the Bahamas.

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