Three Mexican airlines have announced emergency travel restrictions for passengers arriving from Central Africa due to a deadly Ebola outbreak, just two weeks before Mexico is set to co-host the World Cup.
“Entry into Mexico by air is restricted for travellers who have visited Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or South Sudan within the last 21 days,” Aeromexico, the nation’s flagship carrier, announced on social media on Friday.
Low-cost airlines Viva and Volaris issued identical 60-day bans.
The restrictions come at a critical time. The DRC has qualified for the tournament and is scheduled to play its first-round matches across the United States and Mexico.
The World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada, kicks off on June 11 with an opening match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City.
To mitigate risks, the Congolese national team has been training in Belgium and plans to base its tournament operations out of Houston, Texas.
Outbreak statistics
The World Health Organisation has reported a sharp rise in casualties in the DRC since May 15.
Suspected Ebola cases in the DRC have surged past 1 000.
Public health officials are highly concerned as this specific outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which no approved vaccine or targeted treatment exists.
- Three Mexican airlines (Aeromexico, Viva, and Volaris) have imposed emergency travel bans on passengers arriving from Uganda, the DRC, and South Sudan due to a deadly Ebola outbreak.
- The restrictions bar entry into Mexico for travelers who visited these countries within the last 21 days (Aeromexico) or 60 days (Viva and Volaris).
- These measures come just two weeks before the World Cup, which Mexico is co-hosting, and the DRC team is set to play first-round matches in the US and Mexico.
- To reduce Ebola risk, the DRC national team is training in Belgium and will base its tournament operations in Houston, Texas.
- The WHO reports more than 1,000 suspected Ebola cases in the DRC, driven by the Bundibugyo strain, which currently has no approved vaccine or targeted treatment.
