The suspension will be effective for 30 days starting Tuesday, according to the country’s state news agency
Bahrain said on Tuesday it is suspending the entry of foreign travellers arriving from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda due to the ongoing Ebola outbreak.
The suspension will take effect for 30 days starting Tuesday, according to the state news agency.
Bahrain has become the first GCC country and one of the few globally to introduce travel restrictions linked to Ebola as a precautionary step to protect public health and prevent the virus from entering the Kingdom.
Jordan has also suspended the entry of travellers arriving from the DRC and Uganda, according to the Jordanian state news agency.
The UAE’s top health authorities have confirmed readiness to address any health developments or emerging situations, particularly those related to Ebola.
The country’s preparedness and health monitoring measures are continuously evaluated and reviewed in line with approved standards and international best practices, the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority and the Ministry of Health and Prevention noted.
The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed deep concern on Tuesday over the speed and scale of the outbreak as case numbers continue to rise.
What is Ebola
Ebola is a severe and often fatal viral disease that causes fever, body aches, vomiting and diarrhoea and spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
This marks the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 17th Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified in 1976.
Rising death toll
Health authorities in eastern DRC reported 26 additional suspected Ebola deaths within 24 hours, bringing the total to 131 fatalities linked to the outbreak. There are also 516 suspected cases and 33 confirmed infections in Congo, along with two confirmed cases in neighbouring Uganda. The official death toll in South Sudan remains unverified.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has declared the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, warning of its rapid and largely undetected spread in a densely populated region.
Travel restrictions widen
The US State Department has also advised citizens not to travel to the DRC, South Sudan or Uganda, issuing its highest advisory level, and urged reconsideration of travel to neighbouring Rwanda.
US health authorities have introduced enhanced airport screenings and temporarily suspended some visa processing, while the CDC says the risk to the United States remains low but is monitoring cases and assisting with medical evacuations.
(Inputs from Reuters and AFP)
