Ebola outbreak leads to travel warnings

An Ebola outbreak has the Public Health Agency of Canada recommending that Canadians avoid all non-essential travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Although the risk remains low, travellers could face difficulties accessing health care services from an increasingly burdened health care system, they say in a notice updated on July 31. Travellers could also be exposed to the Ebola virus when seeking medical care in a health care setting.

Canada is not alone in making this recommendation though the UN World Health Organization (WHO) recently reiterated that it does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions be applied to these areas, based on current information.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is continuing to collaborate with representatives of the WHO over the Ebola outbreak.

The number of individuals affected continues to grow; as of July 23, 1201 cases had been confirmed, including 672 deaths.

The WHO, ICAO and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) considered passenger screening revisions to the WHO document on travel and transport  in light of recent events. These are still being reviewed by the WHO, which was also intending to seek inputs from the World Tourism Organization and Airports Council International (ACI).