IPNEWS: Liberia has issued an official travel advisory for travelers coming from or transiting through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda due to an active Ebola virus disease outbreak.
This move comes days following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, the Liberian Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) implemented strict health guidelines.
Now all travelers from or transiting through the DRC and Uganda must undergo strict entry screenings at all Liberian ports.
Under this new restriction, Health officials will screen the body temperature of all inbound passengers.
The traveler advisory protocol also states that Inbound passengers must complete a health surveillance form upon arrival, Symptomatic individuals will be managed and isolated immediately according to established public health protocols.
The travel protocol strongly advices Liberian citizens and residents to avoid non-essential travel to affected zones in the DRC and Uganda.
The statement further notes that all Aircraft and vessel operators must ensure thorough infection control; any conveyance linked to a suspected case will undergo immediate decontamination.
The public is advised to practice strict hand hygiene, avoid unverified reports, and report suspected symptoms to the NPHIL emergency toll-free hotline at 4455.
The Liberia Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed there are currently no cases of Ebola within Liberia’s borders.
The emergency border protocols are strictly preventative measure to block regional transmission.
At least 4,809 deaths occurred in Liberia during the 2014–2016 epidemic was the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in history. According to final tracking data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus devastated Liberia’s population and healthcare system with at least 10,675 (including confirmed, probable, and suspected cases).
The frontlines were heavily hit, resulting in 184 deaths out of 375 infected health workers.
Liberia accounted for approximately 42.6% of all fatalities recorded across the three most heavily affected West African nations (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone).
