Canada Suspends Visas, Entry for Residents of DR Congo, Uganda, South Sudan Over Ebola Fears
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The Canadian government has announced temporary immigration and travel restrictions affecting residents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan following growing concerns over the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa.
The emergency measure, which took effect on Wednesday, will remain in place for 90 days as authorities move to prevent the spread of the virus into Canada.
Under the new directive, previously approved visas, electronic travel authorisations, and permanent resident travel documents issued to residents of the affected countries will be temporarily suspended. Canadian officials also confirmed that processing of new visa applications from the three nations would be paused during the restriction period.
The policy follows reports of rising Ebola infections in DR Congo and Uganda, while neighbouring South Sudan has been placed on heightened alert despite recording no confirmed cases so far.
The government clarified that Canadian citizens and permanent residents would still be allowed to return home but would undergo additional public health checks at entry points.
Officials said the move was precautionary, stressing that no Ebola case has been detected in Canada at the moment. However, authorities noted that the evolving global health situation and increased international travel linked to major global events influenced the decision.
The Bahamas has also issued fresh travel advisories concerning the three African countries and warned that travellers arriving from those areas could face enhanced medical screening and quarantine measures.
Earlier this month, the United States introduced similar restrictions targeting foreign nationals who recently travelled through the affected regions.
The World Health Organization recently classified the Ebola outbreaks in DR Congo and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern. Health authorities in DR Congo have reported hundreds of suspected infections and more than 200 deaths linked to the outbreak.
The current outbreak has been associated with the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is presently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
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