World Cup health fears grow as Ebola travel rules tighten
Washington is pressing European nations to restrict travel from Ebola-hit countries as millions prepare to attend the FIFA World Cup
The United States is urging European governments to introduce Ebola-related travel restrictions ahead of the FIFA World Cup, as Washington seeks to prevent the outbreak from spreading during one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
The Trump administration issued a formal diplomatic message on June 1 asking European countries to follow the US approach and impose curbs on people who had recently been in African countries affected by the outbreak, according to sources and officials cited by Reuters.
A European Union diplomat based in Africa and another person familiar with the matter said the request had been made through a demarche, a formal diplomatic statement of concern. The diplomat said EU member states had not yet responded.
The move follows an order issued last month by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention barring non-US citizens from entering the United States if they had been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan during the previous 21 days. US citizens were instructed to enter through selected airports for health screening.
Washington says the measures are aimed at protecting Americans from the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which the World Health Organization has declared an emergency of international concern.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Ebola must not be allowed to enter the United States, while the administration has focused on keeping potentially exposed travellers overseas, despite the country having medical facilities capable of treating Ebola patients while containing possible transmission.
A State Department official said other countries needed to act quickly to stop the outbreak spreading further. The official said this should include both financial contributions and “commonsense restrictions” on travel from affected areas.
The official added that Washington was working diplomatically with governments around the world to coordinate public health measures before the FIFA World Cup, when millions of visitors, fans, athletes and tourists are expected.
The United States, Canada and Mexico are hosting the tournament, which begins on Thursday. The Ebola outbreak has already complicated some travel arrangements ahead of the event.
The State Department said Rubio and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed the Ebola response during a call on Tuesday.
Tommy Pigott, a State Department spokesperson, said the department’s priority remained protecting the health of Americans and preventing the outbreak from reaching US shores.
The Trump administration has faced criticism over the closure of the US Agency for International Development and cuts to aid funding before the outbreak. However, Washington says it has delivered 150 tonnes of medical supplies and pledged more than US$200 million directly to the affected countries, making it the largest financial contributor to the Ebola response.
