Imposing travel bans will not help contain the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease, the World Health Organisation has cautioned.
“We know what is needed to stop this outbreak and it doesn’t include banning people from travelling from West Africa to the US or Western Europe. Travel bans are detrimental and ineffective,” Dr Isabelle Nuttall, Director, Global Capacities, Alert and Response at WHO, said in a statement this week.
Nuttall cautioned that cutting off West African nations would be catastrophic to families and economies. She argued that the movement of people could not be controlled but said global vigilance was key to stopping the international spread of this disease.
“All countries need to have strong systems in place to identify people at risk at the earliest possible moment, and apply stringent prevention and control measures for any case detected.”
According to Nuttall, governments may choose to implement routine screening, such as measuring temperatures and obtaining travel histories for passengers and people at border crossings and seaports. “While not fool-proof, screening may identify some at-risk travellers, and will certainly serve to reinforce awareness of how to stay safe in these uncertain times.”
She also advised that ports of entry needed to have effective plans in place in case fever or other symptoms were detected in a traveller from an Ebola-affected country. “WHO is working closely with the aviation and maritime sectors to provide guidance to airline and shipping crews and staff working at points of entry on how to recognise Ebola symptoms and what to do to protect themselves and others while getting that sick person to care safely.”
Nuttall suggested that health care workers should be on the lookout for people presenting with a fever or other symptoms of Ebola (flu-like aches, vomiting, diarrhoea, rash and bleeding), while countries should provide their citizens traveling to Ebola-affected countries with accurate and relevant information.
“These are proven, effective measures to halt the international spread of Ebola. Nigeria and Senegal implemented these measures effectively. Both countries have now been declared Ebola free,” said Nuttall. 
To provide accurate and up-to-date information for people travelling to and from Africa, Tourism Update has produced an interactive map. To view the map, click here.