European Union joins US, Canada, India to tighten travel rules as Ebola risk rises

More and more countries are tightening travel rules across the world as the risk of the Ebola virus is increasing daily. The World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. The decision has prompted countries to step up travel-related containment measures. Here are the details.

India's measures
Though there were 2 suspected Ebola cases in Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, they have been confirmed negative at the moment. The Union Health Ministry and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) have issued various Ebola advisories and enhanced health screenings at international airports, seaports, and immigration checkpoints. Symptom checks, thermal screenings, self-declaration forms and 21-day travel history verification have been introduced. Those travellers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan are also flagged as high risk.

United States' Ebola screenings
Last week, Washington banned non-citizens who had travelled to the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan in recent weeks from entering the United States. On Friday, the ban was extended by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to green card holders who have been in those countries in the previous 21 days.

The CDC also added Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to its travel-funnelling list on Saturday, alongside Washington Dulles. US passport holders returning from the affected regions are also escorted to designated screening areas for CDC-led temperature checks, travel history verification, and symptom tracking.

Canada's measures
The Canadian government said that residents from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan will be banned from entering Canada for 90 days starting Wednesday. Canadian citizens, permanent residents and other foreign nationals who have been in affected areas in recent weeks and do not have symptoms will have to quarantine for 21 days from May 30, according to a statement from Canada's public health agency.

European Union
The European Union's Health Security Committee said on Friday that entry screenings were not necessary for passengers arriving from the DRC and Uganda, citing low risk to the population.

Mexico's measures
Mexico's Health Secretary, David Kershenovich, addressed the media on Monday, outlining tighter Ebola screening measures at airports, urging the public to avoid travel to Congo, and asking arrivals from the country to observe a 21-day quarantine.
(With Reuters inputs)