Saudi authorities on Thursday announced an entry ban on travelers from three African countries as a precautionary health measure amid the Ebola outbreak in the African continent. The Public Health Authority, or Weqaya, said that those traveling from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan would not be allowed to enter the Kingdom’s territory until further notice, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Visa Suspensions and Enhanced Screenings
Authorities are also suspending all types of entry visas for those who have stayed in the three countries within 21 days before their arrival in the Kingdom and have traveled through a third country. Weqaya has announced enhanced preventive measures for travelers arriving from Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Congo-Brazzaville. Visitors arriving from these countries, which were affected by Ebola, will undergo health screenings at the border, along with disease surveillance.
No Ebola Cases in Saudi Arabia Since 2019
Weqaya confirmed that no Ebola cases have been reported in the Kingdom since 2019. Ebola was discovered in 1976 in the DRC, and its case fatality rate is around 50 percent, according to the World Health Organization. It has killed about 15,000 people since then.
First Ebola Case in France
On Wednesday, French authorities confirmed the first case of Ebola after a doctor contracted the virus and returned to the country from a humanitarian mission in the DRC. He has been admitted to a specialized quarantine facility.
