UMVA has learned that the Canadian government is rolling out emergency travel and immigration measures as Ebola spreads across the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring regions.
Effective this Saturday, anyone—Canadian citizens, permanent residents or foreign nationals—who has set foot in the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan within the past 21 days must undergo a mandatory 21‑day quarantine, matching the virus’s incubation period.
Health officials assure the public that the risk to Canadians remains low, but they stress that the precautionary isolation is essential to protect the nation’s health security.
For travelers lacking a safe place to isolate, the Public Health Agency will provide appropriate facilities, while anyone showing symptoms will be swiftly transferred to a hospital for assessment.
In a parallel move, immigration authorities will suspend the processing of all visa, work, study and travel permit applications from citizens of the three affected countries for the next 90 days, beginning at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday.
Immigration officials clarify that existing documents will not be cancelled; once the emergency ends, unexpired permits will be reactivated without requiring re‑application.
The measures align with similar restrictions already imposed by the United States and Mexico as the FIFA World Cup approaches, reflecting a coordinated international response.
Recent health reports from the DRC indicate over 100 confirmed Ebola cases, nearly a thousand suspected infections, and a tragic surge in suspected deaths, underscoring the urgency of the Canadian precautions.
