By Jasper Ward
WASHINGTON, May ā26 (Reuters) - Canada said on Tuesday it will temporarily āban residents from three African countries amid an Ebola outbreak as a source told ā Reuters The Bahamas plans to make a similar move.
Residents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan will be ābanned from entering Canada for 90 days starting Wednesday, the Canadian government said. It āsaid the temporary border measure aimed to reduce the risk of Ebola entering and spreading within Canada.
The World Health Organization on Friday raised to "very ā high" the risk of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola ā turning into a national outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has declared the outbreak there and in Uganda an emergency of international concern.
Last week, Washington banned non-citizens who had traveled to the āDRC, Uganda or South Sudan in recent weeks from entering the United ā States.
Canadian citizens, permanent residents and other foreign ānationals who have been in affected areas in ārecent weeks and do not have symptoms will have to quarantine for 21 days from May 30, according to a statement from āCanada's public health agency.
The Bahamas is also expected āto announce an entry ban ā on people who have traveled to the same three āAfrican countries in the past 21 ā days, a source familiar with discussions told Reuters.
The ban, which will be announced by the Caribbean country's health ministry, is expected to remain in āplace for at least ā30 days, the source said.
No cases of Ebola have been reported in ā the United States, Canada or āThe Bahamas.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington and Ismail Shakil in āOttowa; editing by Michelle Nichols )





