Due to the Ebola threat, Canada is restricting entry from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan
Canada has temporarily suspended the validity of visas and the processing of new applications for citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan due to the Ebola outbreak. The decision was announced by the Canadian government, which cited public health measures as the reason. The restrictions have been implemented as a temporary measure for 90 days. This was announced by Canadian Immigration Minister Lena Matledge Diab during a briefing in Ottawa.
The Canadian government has decided to temporarily restrict visa procedures for citizens of three African countries—the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan—amid the worsening Ebola outbreak, which has recently been reported in the region and is causing concern among international health authorities.
This was announced by Canadian Immigration Minister Lena Matledge Diab during a briefing in Ottawa, clarifying that even existing entry permits, including temporary and permanent resident visas and electronic authorizations, will temporarily not allow entry into the country, and the relevant documents will effectively become invalid for the duration of the restriction.
According to the minister, the processing of final decisions on new visa applications, work and study permits, as well as electronic travel authorizations for citizens of these countries, is also being suspended; the government explained that this is necessary to minimize the risks of spreading the dangerous infection. “Residents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan who hold valid travel permits will not be able to enter Canada,” Lena Matledge Diab noted, adding that the decision was made solely for security reasons and to monitor the public health situation.
According to the government, the restrictions will remain in effect for 90 days and are temporary; after that, all documents that have not expired will be reinstated without the need to reapply, which should facilitate a return to normal operations once the situation stabilizes.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced his intention to urgently visit the city of Bunia in the Congolese province of Ituri. This region has become the epicenter of yet another dangerous Ebola outbreak.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded its 17th Ebola outbreak, which has already claimed the lives of 80 people. This time, the disease was likely caused by the little-studied Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain, rather than the more common Zaire ebolavirus.
Ethiopia has recorded its first outbreak of the Marburg virus, which is clinically similar to Ebola. The pathogen is capable of spreading rapidly, but there are no vaccines against it.
