US Restricts Entries of Travellers From 1 African Country, Gives Reason
- The CDC announced a temporary ban stopping travellers who have recently been in the Democratic Republic of Congo from boarding flights to the United States
- The 21-day restriction applies to all travellers, including American citizens, and covers even those who only transited through a DRC airport without disembarking
- Travellers denied boarding have been directed to contact a dedicated US Department of Homeland Security email address for assistance
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The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has imposed a temporary travel restriction barring anyone who has been in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) within the past 21 days from boarding flights bound for the United States, citing the need to prevent Ebola from entering the country.
The U.S. Embassy in the DRC announced the measure through an official social media post.
Source: Getty Images
Under the restriction, affected travellers, including American citizens, must remain outside the United States until at least 21 days have passed since they last left the DRC. Airlines are required to deny boarding to anyone who does not meet this condition before they can fly to a US destination.
Who the Ebola travel ban covers
The CDC has clarified that the restriction applies broadly, covering not just people who lived in or visited the DRC, but also those whose aircraft made a stopover at a DRC airport, regardless of whether they stepped off the plane. Even passengers who remained seated on the aircraft during a layover in the country are considered to have been in the DRC for the purposes of this rule.
This wide scope reflects the seriousness with which US health authorities are treating the Ebola risk, given that the incubation period for the virus can stretch up to 21 days.
What affected travellers should do
Travellers who are denied boarding as a result of this restriction have been asked to reach out to US authorities by emailing Ebola-Travel-HELP@hq.dhs.gov with the details requested in the official Health Alert notice. The CDC has noted that an automated reply may come first, asking for additional information, before a representative from the inbox follows up directly. That follow-up contact may come either as a phone call or as an email from an address ending in ".gov".
Nigerians travelling to the United States who have passed through the DRC in any capacity within the last 21 days are advised to review their travel plans in light of these restrictions before attempting to board a US-bound flight.
Read the full statement on X here:
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Source: Legit.ng
