US, Mexico and Canada issue trilateral statement on public health travel measures
Ottawa, May 28
The United States, Mexico and Canada on Thursday issued a trilateral statement on public health travel measures in the wake of the Ebola virus outbreak in parts of Africa.
"The United States, Mexico and Canada have announced aligned public health travel measures for individuals arriving from African regions considered at greatest risk from the Ebola virus. This coordinated approach aims to protect our citizens and the millions of visitors, fans, athletes and tourists expected during the FIFA World Cup 2026, while maintaining travel and commerce across our borders," the statement said.
"The health and safety of every person in the region remains our highest priority as we welcome the world to North America," it added.
Earlier on Wednesday (local time), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration was working aggressively to prevent Ebola cases from entering the country amid growing concern over the outbreak in parts of Africa.
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Donald Trump at the White House, Rubio said the administration's top priority was protecting Americans from any potential spread of the virus.
"We cannot and will not allow any cases of Ebola to enter the United States," Rubio said.
He said the State Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other federal agencies were coordinating efforts to contain the outbreak in affected regions, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
"We've surged assistance to make sure that that is being contained there," Rubio said.
The Secretary of State added that US agencies were also monitoring travellers and border movements to ensure infected individuals did not enter the country.
Meanwhile, Uganda has banned mass public gatherings in an effort to curb the spread of Ebola in the East African country.
In a circular issued late on Wednesday, Uganda's Ministry of Health said activities that attract large crowds, including music concerts, cultural festivals, public rallies, political mobilisation events, marathons and cross-border marketing activities, had been prohibited.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who follows global health news, this seems like a wise move. But I hope the US doesn't use this as an excuse for blanket travel bans that hurt African economies. We in India know how travel restrictions during COVID had massive ripple effects on vulnerable nations.
It's a sensible precaution, but Rubio's language seems a bit alarmist. "No cases will enter" is impossible to guarantee—you can only minimize risk. Coming from India, we saw how strict lockdowns didn't prevent COVID variants from entering eventually. Public health requires realism, not just tough talk.
Uganda's ban on large gatherings might be tough, but it's better than losing lives. Remember how India's Kumbh Mela turned into a super-spreader event? Sometimes governments need to be strict. I hope the US and others also provide medical aid to affected African nations instead of just sealing borders.
I appreciate the trilateral coordination, but this feels a bit like an overreaction. Ebola isn't airborne like COVID—it spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids. Simple screening at airports should suffice without dramatic bans. Let's not repeat the panic response that led to travel bans for India during the Delta variant wave.
It's good to see a coordinated approach—better than the chaos we saw during early COVID days. But I hope this doesn't become a permanent excuse for xenophobia. Many Indian professionals travel to Africa for work; blanket restrictions harm real people. Targeted screening, not bans, should be the way forward. 🙏
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.