The temporary ban follows growing concerns over the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda….reports Asian Lite News
Jordan has announced a temporary ban on the entry of travellers arriving from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda following growing concerns over the spread of the Ebola virus in the two African nations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Jordan’s Ministry of Interior said the restriction would come into effect on Wednesday and remain in place for 30 days as a precautionary public health measure.
The ministry clarified that Jordanian citizens would be exempt from the travel ban, while authorities would continue to monitor the health situation in coordination with global health updates.
The move comes as the World Health Organization expressed “deep concern” over the scale and speed of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak had already caused more than 130 deaths, with over 500 suspected infections reported so far.
According to the WHO, Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease that affects humans and other primates. The virus is initially transmitted to humans from infected wild animals, including fruit bats and non human primates, before spreading between people through direct contact with bodily fluids or contaminated materials.
Health experts say the disease carries an average fatality rate of around 50 per cent, although past outbreaks have recorded mortality rates ranging from 25 to 90 per cent.
The WHO noted that Ebola outbreaks were first identified in remote villages in Central Africa near tropical rainforests. The 2014 to 2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak remains the deadliest on record, causing more cases and deaths than all previous outbreaks combined and spreading across Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Common symptoms of Ebola include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headaches and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, rash and impaired kidney and liver function.
Health authorities have urged medical workers and public health officials to remain alert for symptoms as countries strengthen monitoring and containment measures to prevent further spread of the virus.
