Congo Health Officials Criticize U.S. Ebola Travel Ban as Kinshasa Sits 950 Miles From Outbreak
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 23
Congo Health Officials Criticize U.S. Ebola Travel Ban as Kinshasa Sits 950 Miles From Outbreak
13 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 23
Congolese health officials pushed back against a U.S. ban on travelers recently in the Democratic Republic of Congo, arguing the measure overstates the risk to areas far from the outbreak.
Kinshasa, a city of about 20 million, was operating normally this week, with markets, taxis, bars and public events crowded despite the Ebola flare-up in the country’s northeast.
The outbreak’s center in Ituri Province lies roughly 950 miles from the capital, and limited travel between the two regions because of poor roads reduces the chance of spread to Kinshasa, according to epidemic experts.
The dispute highlights how countries are tightening border controls over the deadly Ebola outbreak even as Congolese officials stress the country’s vast size—more than 900,000 square miles—and uneven internal connectivity.
Is a city of 20 million being punished for an Ebola outbreak happening 950 miles away?
Why did the U.S. enact its first-ever Ebola travel ban when top health experts say it will fail?