Ghana Introduces 21-Day Ebola Monitoring for Travellers From Affected Countries

• The Ministry of Health announced a 21-day surveillance period for passengers arriving from countries with active Ebola transmission
• All travellers arriving at Ghana's international airports will undergo mandatory screening by Port Health officers, including temperature checks
• Ghana has not recorded any confirmed Ebola case, but the outbreak has killed more than 5,300 people across Africa, mostly in the DRC

The Ministry of Health has introduced a mandatory 21-day surveillance period for passengers arriving from countries currently experiencing active transmission of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, in a bid to prevent the disease from entering the country.

The announcement, made in a statement on Tuesday, 3 November, outlined a series of measures being implemented at Ghana's international airports.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) will reach out to the identified travellers throughout the monitoring window and requires them to remain contactable and to report any emerging symptoms without delay to designated health contacts.

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All passengers arriving in Ghana will be subject to screening by Port Health officers, covering temperature checks, health declaration forms and travel history reviews.

Per the notice, travellers are required to disclose any visits to or transit through Ebola-affected countries within the 21 days prior to arrival, as well as any known contact with suspected or confirmed cases.

Those presenting with symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, severe weakness or unexplained bleeding will be referred for further clinical assessment and, where necessary, placed in temporary isolation for medical attention.

The Ministry warned that passengers who conceal symptoms, provide false details or refuse to cooperate with health authorities could face legal consequences under Ghanaian public health law.

Hotels, conference centres and similar establishments have also been directed to report guests arriving from affected countries to the nearest district health directorate and to retain their contact information.

No Confirmed Ebola Cases in Ghana

The Ministry stressed that Ghana has not recorded any confirmed Ebola case and described the new measures as precautionary rather than reactive.

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It urged the public to seek information only from official sources, specifically the Ministry of Health and the GHS, and to refrain from circulating unverified reports.

The measures come against the backdrop of a significant outbreak across the continent. According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 10,400 cases have been confirmed since the outbreak was declared in May, with the death toll surpassing 5,300, the majority of them in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The mortality rate has exceeded 50%.

The virus has since spread beyond the DRC, with confirmed cases recorded in Uganda and Kenya. Kenya reported its first-ever Ebola infections in October.

Source: YEN.com.gh