The United States, Mexico and Canada have jointly announced public health travel measures for individuals arriving from high-risk African regions affected by the Ebola virus, aiming to protect citizens and visitors during the World Cup, which begins next month.
In a joint statement issued on May 20, the three countries said: “The health and safety of everyone in the region remains our top priority as we welcome the world to North America.” The statement did not provide specific details on the measures.
On May 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and warned of a high risk of cross-border spread.
The WHO decision prompted governments to tighten travel-related controls. Last week, the U.S. banned non-citizens who had recently been in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan from entering. On May 21, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended the ban to include green card holders who had been in those countries within the past 21 days.
Canada also banned entry for citizens from the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan for 90 days, effective May 19. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and other foreign nationals who have been in the affected regions recently and show no symptoms will be required to quarantine for 21 days starting May 22.
In Mexico, Health Minister David Kershenovich announced stricter Ebola screening at airports on May 17, urged people to avoid travel to the DRC, and required passengers from that country to undergo a 21-day quarantine.
