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Canada imposes visa ban on three Ebola-hit countries

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Sat, 2014-11-01 01:23 — mike kraft

REUTERS                                                                                      Oct. 31,2014

OTTAWA - Canada will stop issuing visas to people from the three West African nations where Ebola is widespread--- Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone-- the government said on Friday.

Canada, which has not reported any cases of Ebola, is following in the footsteps of Australia, which on Tuesday became the first rich nation to issue such a ban. The country's official in charge of the response to Ebola said the move was medically unjustified.

Under the new regulations, which come into force immediately, Canada will not process visa applications from foreign nationals who have been in an Ebola-affected country within the previous three months.

The Conservative government's decision drew fire from Canada's opposition New Democratic Party.

"The experts we’re relying on to fight Ebola are saying this is not the right approach," the party's health critic Libby Davies said in a statement.

 Read compete story

 http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/31/us-health-ebola-canada-idUSKBN0IK27T20141031

Country / Region Tags: 
Global
Africa
Conakry
Guinea
United States
General Topic Tags: 
Contagion
Disease
Health
Politics
Problem, Solution, SitRep, or ?: 
Situation Report
Groups this Group Post belongs to: 
Health - Sierra Leone
- Private group -

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Sun, 2014-11-02 14:25 — mike kraft

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The government views the decision as discriminatory, coming at a time when we are trying to ease the isolation, and not re enforce it," said Theo Nicol, Sierra Leone's deputy information minister on Saturday.

Canada's immigration minister Chris Alexander had described the move as a precautionary measure building on actions "taken to protect the health and safety of Canadians here at home".
 
 

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/11/sierra-leone-canada-ebola-row-2014111223840578859.html

Wed, 2014-11-05 17:46 — mike kraft

CANADIAN PRESS                                                                                  Nov. 5, 2014

By Helen Banswell

The World Health Organization has asked Canada to justify its decision to limit travel to this country from the West African countries combating Ebola.

The federal government announced Friday it would not issue new travel visas for residents or citizens of countries with widespread and persistent Ebola transmission. As well, it has put a halt on the processing of permanent residency visas for people from those countries.

Canada’s move contravenes the International Health Regulations which stipulate that in infectious disease outbreaks, countries should not impose trade or travel sanctions against affected countries beyond what the WHO has recommended.

Read complete story

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/who-asks-canada-to-justify-visa-ban-for-residents-of-ebola-affected-countries/article21452223/

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