Seychelles Now Wants Travelers to Spend 21 Days Away From the Congo

Seychelles has put an Ebola-related entry condition in place for travelers who have recently been in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Foreign nationals must spend at least 21 days outside the DRC before traveling to the island nation, and they are expected to follow the health monitoring rules of the countries where they stayed and provide supporting documents where applicable.

The measure applies to arrivals from a country with a large outbreak. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported 9,455 confirmed cases and 4,561 deaths across eight DRC provinces in data through October 17. Kenya has also reported eight confirmed cases and one death as of October 18, linked to a traveler from the DRC.

The 21-day window mirrors the incubation period, since the World Health Organization says symptoms can appear between two and 21 days after infection. Seychellois citizens and residents arriving from the DRC, or who were there within the past 21 days, may face public health measures such as quarantine, as set by the Public Health Authority. The rules remain in place until further notice.

Reporting reviewed so far shows no confirmed Ebola case in Seychelles, and the Public Health Commissioner last said on October 15 that none had been detected. Airlines, travel agents and tour operators are expected to tell passengers about the entry conditions before they travel, so anyone with a Central Africa routing should confirm requirements well ahead of departure.

Sources: eTurboNews