No lift yet on travel restrictions � MoH

Maranyane Ngwanaamotho | Thursday October 9, 2014 15:35

The principal public relations officer in the Ministry of Health, Doreen Motshegwa, said that the ban against travellers from Ebola-affected countries remains effective.

However, individuals who had been staying in neighbouring countries could be allowed into the country.

Motshegwa explained that since the disease takes up to 21 days to incubate, chances are that if the individual had the virus, it would have manifested during the time of their stay in the neighbouring country.

“Chances are that we will allow you in.  We will consider the length of time an individual spent in South Africa for example.  But even if an individual is allowed in they will still remain under surveillance,” she said.

Motshegwa said that they are trying to avoid a situation where people lie about their movements or contact with potential victims of the disease.  She gave an example of a man who lied about his engagements on his journey from Liberia to America, and was later found to be infected with Ebola.

“Let us learn from just this one.  These are highly technical countries yet this man managed to lie and find his way into America.  They screened him, but they could not detect the virus because it takes time to incubate,” she said.

Meanwhile, the ministry is engaging professionals to counsel health personnel who are naturally the first to be affected.

“This is a global crisis.  Those in the line of duty will be mostly affected and that is why we are counselling our people to avoid such casualties,” she said.

Ebola has killed more than 3,400 people in West Africa, with more than 7,400 suspected, probable and confirmed cases.

The virus is transmitted through close and direct physical contact with infected bodily fluids, the most infectious being blood, faeces and vomit.  The incubation period, from the time of infection to symptoms, is two to 21 days.