ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has urged countries to avoid unjustified travel restrictions on Ebola-affected nations.
Speaking at an online briefing Thursday, Wessam Mankoula, an Africa CDC official, reiterated the agency's opposition to unilateral restrictions and punitive measures against countries responding to the outbreak.
"Countries that have invested in preparedness and readiness should not be punished for this," he said.
"Let us focus on isolating the virus, not isolating countries," he said, stressing the need for stronger global solidarity against the deadly virus, rather than imposing blanket travel restrictions without public health justification that disrupt movement and trade.
Recalling Saudi Arabia's recent Ebola-related travel restrictions for passengers arriving from Kenya, he said that implementing travel bans undermines international cooperation and disincentivizes transparent public health reporting during regional outbreaks.
Describing Kenya's proactive response in handling the situation as a continental health security benchmark, he outlined the comprehensive steps Kenyan authorities undertook after detecting the country's initial case, demonstrating how early detection and structured readiness can mitigate wider community transmission without closing borders.
"We are calling on Saudi Arabia to review the measures that have been taken towards travel restrictions for Kenya," he said, while cautioning other nations against following suit without scientific rationale.
The East African country reported its first imported case on Oct. 6. With nine confirmed cases and two deaths, the country has not reported a new case since Oct. 19, while the first five patients have been discharged from treatment centers. ■