Canada taking new border measures in response to Ebola outbreak

Alsharq Tribune-AFP 

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) issued a statement on Sunday to implement new temporary border measures to reduce the risk of the Ebola disease entering and spreading within the country.

According to the statement, effective on Monday, any foreign national who was in the Democratic Republic of the Congo within the past 21 days will be prohibited from entering Canada.

The measure may reduce public health risks for Canadians and is intended to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of border measures that can safely process travelers arriving in Canada, including the returning humanitarian workers, said the statement.

There is no change to the rules for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and people registered under the Indian Act who have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days, PHAC said, noting they may still enter Canada but will undergo a health assessment upon arrival and must quarantine for 21 days.

These requirements, along with all other measures under the previous Order in Council, will remain in effect until Aug. 29, 2026.

No travel-related cases have been reported in Canada to date, according to PHAC.