by The Wall Street Journal / Matina Stevis
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South Africa’s travel ban for those coming in from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea will be in place for as long as necessary, said Jo Maila, a spokesman for the health ministry. South Africans returning from these countries would be allowed back home but would undergo extensive medical tests, Mr. Maila added.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s health ministry said the country’s citizens would be asked to postpone trips to those countries indefinitely and only allowed to travel if it is “absolutely essential.” Mr. Maila said that South Africa travelers heading to the countries would be quizzed on the necessity of their travel at the airport by Home Affairs officials.
The move by South Africa follows a similar ban by Kenya last week. Zambia has also banned travelers from infected countries, while several African nations have restricted air travel to and from them. Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo airport and Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport are the continent’s two major airport hubs.
