US, Congo Ebola Travel Restrictions May Hamper Humanitarian Aid Response

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Kavanagh You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.tj))47sosixhqle(8no7uwpz_media_dl_1.png National Institute of Public Hea(Bloomberg) — New US and Congolese travel restrictions aimed at keeping Ebola from spreading across borders are drawing warnings from aid organizations and medical experts who say the measures could undermine efforts to control the world’s fastest-growing outbreak of the virus.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThe restrictions — introduced after a physician from humanitarian group Alima returned to France from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo with Ebola in June — threaten to slow the deployment and rotation of doctors, nurses and other specialists needed to contain the epidemic, according to aid groups and outbreak responders.The US now requires its citizens and nationals who have been in Congo to spend 21 days outside the country before returning on commercial flights, while Congo requires people leaving Ebola-affected areas to remain elsewhere in the country for three weeks before traveling internationally.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againTogether, the overlapping rules could leave some volunteers facing as much as six weeks of additional waiting before returning home.“We’re going to screw up the ability to funnel human resources to the outbreak because a whole bunch of people can’t come because of this,” said Armand Sprecher, an emergency physician and epidemiologist with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). “I’m here in Ituri for a week and then I’m going to spend three weeks in Kinshasa doing remote support. That’s crazy.”The US and Congo’s overlapping rules could discourage experienced clinicians from volunteering by extending the time they’re away from home, added Craig Spencer, an emergency physician who treated Ebola patients during the 2014-2016 West African epidemic.The restrictions reflect Ebola’s maximum incubation period of 21 days, though people infected with the virus aren’t considered contagious until symptoms begin. Congo adopted the measures partly out of concern that other countries could impose travel or trade restrictions after the France case, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO is working with Congolese authorities to replace the blanket rules with a more risk-based approach based on individual exposure, Chikwe Ihekweazu, executive director of the agency’s health emergencies program, said last week. Exemptions have already been granted while officials work toward a longer-term solution, he said.The country’s outbreak has become the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic on record during its first two months, with 2,344 confirmed cases and 930 deaths reported by the National Institute of Public Health on Sunday. The death toll has more than doubled since the beginning of July.Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner has said officials respect other countries’ efforts to protect public health but are discussing the science with US counterparts in hopes of finding a more targeted approach. Médecins Sans Frontières already requires staff leaving Ebola responses to spend 21 days self-monitoring near a trusted healthcare facility before returning to normal duties, Sprecher said. The policy applies to both international and African staff. This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.The France case demonstrated the protocol worked, he added: the doctor reported symptoms promptly after becoming ill and no secondary infections were identified.The measures are intended “to reduce the risk of Ebola importation” into the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The agency is working with the Department of Homeland Security on a “Do Not Board” process that can bar Americans from US-bound commercial flights until 21 days after leaving Congo. Humanitarian and law-enforcement exceptions are available case-by-case.“The US is coordinating with regional partners to contain the Ebola outbreak at its source in order to protect the American people and prevent further international spread,” a State Department spokesperson said. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services didn’t respond to a request for comment. Several international aid workers have contracted Ebola during the outbreak, including American missionary surgeon Peter Stafford and a logistics worker with Samaritan’s Purse, underscoring the risks facing foreign responders. The virus has also infected at least 119 health workers, 36 of whom have died. Seven members of Samaritan’s Purse’s Disaster Assistance Response Team who worked on the Ebola response are being held in 21-day government quarantine in Kenya before returning home, the group said Friday. None have developed symptoms.Franklin Graham, the evangelical organization’s president and chief executive officer, told Reuters last week the new US restrictions would make it harder to recruit American healthcare workers and could force Samaritan’s Purse to scale back parts of its Ebola response.“We are grateful to God for the incredible men and women who have been fighting Ebola on the front lines,” Graham added in a statement. “To me, these are true American heroes.”Canada announced similar temporary border measures on Sunday. From Monday night, foreign nationals who have been in Congo within the previous 21 days will be barred from entering the country. Meanwhile, Canadian citizens and permanent residents returning from Congo, Uganda or South Sudan will continue to undergo health assessments and a 21-day quarantine.—With assistance from Jacob Reid and Jessica Nix.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.