Tanzania orders 21-day Ebola monitoring for high-risk travellers

Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Tanzania has introduced 21-day health monitoring for high-risk travellers entering the country as Ebola cases in neighbouring Kenya rise to seven, including one death.

The measures require incoming travellers to complete an online health declaration before departure or upon arrival, undergo screening at entry points and provide contact details for follow-up, according to Travel Advisory No. 18 issued by Tanzania’s Ministry of Health on Saturday.

Travellers identified as high-risk will receive daily automated messages or other communications to monitor their health for 21 days. They must respond to the messages and cooperate with health authorities even after leaving Tanzania, the advisory states.

The government introduced the measures following an Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a case in Kenya involving a patient who had travelled from the DRC.

The advisory, signed by Permanent Secretary Grace Magembe, requires travellers entering Tanzania through airports, land borders and seaports to undergo health screening, including temperature checks.

Health officials will assess anyone suspected of having Ebola symptoms or another infectious disease under national screening procedures.

The ministry has also directed travellers and transport operators to observe infection prevention measures, including hand hygiene and the use of sanitiser.

Authorities will decontaminate vehicles and vessels suspected of carrying the virus at entry points.

The measures follow growing regional concern over the spread of Ebola after Kenya reported four new infections on October 17, bringing its confirmed cases to seven.

Kenya’s Ministry of Health has intensified screening at airports, land borders and other entry points, with authorities reportedly screening more than 665,000 travellers nationwide.

At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), passengers arriving from high-risk countries, including the DRC, Ethiopia and Uganda, undergo additional screening. Health officers use infrared thermometers to identify passengers with elevated temperatures, review travel histories and require health declarations.

Despite the rising case count, Health Director General Dr Patrick Amoth has urged the public to remain calm and follow official guidance.

“Kenya remains open, with no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings. Remain calm, stay vigilant and follow official Ministry of Health updates,” Amoth said.

Other countries have also issued travel or health advisories concerning Kenya. Canada has advised its citizens to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling to the country, while Malaysia issued a health advisory for its nationals living in or visiting Kenya.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person or someone who has died from the disease. It does not spread through the air.