Canada Bans Entry for Foreign Nationals Visiting DR Congo Due to Ebola Risk

Canada Imposes Travel Ban on Foreign Nationals Over Ebola Risk

The Canadian government announced on Sunday that it will deny entry to any foreign national who has traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) within the previous 21 days. The new, temporary border measure is scheduled to take effect on Monday, July 20, at 11:59 p.m. EDT and will remain in place until August 29.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) stated that the decision is intended to reduce public health risks to Canadians and increase the sustainability of border processing, including for returning humanitarian workers. While the government maintains that the risk of Ebola to Canadians remains low, the agency noted that the current outbreak in the DRC is the third-largest on record and has been expanding at an accelerated rate.

Scope of the New Border Restrictions

Under the new mandate, commercial and private air carriers are prohibited from boarding foreign nationals who have been in the DRC in the 21 days prior to their flight to Canada.

The travel ban specifically targets foreign nationals. Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and persons registered under the Indian Act who have visited the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the last 21 days are still permitted to enter the country. However, these individuals are subject to a health assessment upon arrival and are required to self-isolate for 21 days.

The government previously implemented measures in late May that required self-isolation for travelers from the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan and suspended immigration documents for residents of those countries. While the new entry ban applies to the DRC, the existing requirements for health assessments and quarantine remain in place for those traveling from Uganda and South Sudan.

Conflict with World Health Organization Guidance

Canada’s decision to restrict travel stands in direct opposition to the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO). The UN health agency has consistently advised against travel or trade restrictions regarding the DRC, arguing that such measures are often ineffective and can create stigma.

According to the WHO, travel bans may discourage transparency and complicate the international effort to contain the epidemic. In a statement released last month, the organization emphasized that the spread of Ebola is not determined by nationality or ethnicity and warned that affected regions and African communities have faced unfair suspicion.

Despite the WHO’s position, a spokesperson for the PHAC noted that the government is aligning its temporary border measures with those recently adopted by the United States and Mexico. The U.S. recently implemented policies preventing individuals who have been in the DRC in the previous 21 days from entering the country via commercial aviation.

For more on this story, see Canada Bans Travelers From DRC Over Ebola Risks Despite WHO Opposition.

Outbreak Context and Public Health Assessment

The Ebola outbreak in the DRC has resulted in more than 2,100 reported cases and hundreds of deaths. As of July 15, official data indicated 828 deaths, though more recent reports have cited figures as high as 864 deaths. Health officials have expressed concern regarding the speed of the current outbreak. PHAC data suggests that over 80 percent of cases have been detected outside of known contact lists, and nearly 60 percent of deaths occur outside of health-care facilities. Forecasts have suggested that case numbers could double every 21 days if current trends continue. Ebola is primarily transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or animal. Symptoms of the disease include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and bleeding. While the virus causing the current outbreak is considered less common than other strains, there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment. Despite the severity of the outbreak in the DRC, the Canadian government noted that there have been no domestic cases of Ebola reported in Canada. Federal health officials have previously stated that even if an infected individual were to enter the country, the likelihood of transmission would be limited. Historically, Ebola outbreaks in the DRC have not resulted in importations to Canada.