Ebola: US ban on travellers from DRC, Uganda or South Sudan ‘not the solution’
Summary
The US has banned travellers who recently visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, or South Sudan due to an Ebola outbreak. Health experts and officials say this ban may harm efforts to control the outbreak and suggest focusing on support and cooperation instead.Key Facts
- The Ebola outbreak is declared a global public health emergency and continues to spread in the DRC and neighboring countries.
- The US travel ban applies to non-US citizens who have been in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past 21 days.
- The ban disrupted the DRC men’s football team’s World Cup preparations and caused a flight to divert in the US.
- Africa CDC states that travel bans can cause fear, harm economies, and make health efforts harder, possibly increasing risk.
- The Ebola strain (Bundibugyo) causing the outbreak has no vaccine or specific treatment available.
- Africa CDC highlights that this strain was discovered 20 years ago, but no vaccines exist because it mainly affects poorer countries.
- Uganda says it has the ability to control Ebola cases and considers the US travel ban an overreaction.
- So far, about 139 deaths and 600 suspected Ebola cases are reported, mostly in the DRC’s Ituri and North Kivu provinces, with new cases in rebel-controlled regions.
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