PARAMARIBO, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Suriname will no longer allow foreign travelers to visit the country if they have been to Ebola- hit West African countries prior, said local health authority on Tuesday.
According to a protocol issued by the Health Ministry, travelers with other than the Surinamese nationality who, one up to 21 days prior to departure to Suriname, have been in one of the risk countries -- Sierra Leone, Guinea or Liberia, are not allowed to begin the journey to Suriname, unless they can prove to be free of the Ebola virus with an internationally recognized health certificate.
For those who have begun their journey to Suriname, a period of monitoring or a maximum of 21 days in quarantine will be conducted on their arrival at the border posts of the South American country, said the protocol.
According to the protocol, all passengers arriving in Suriname will be asked to provide detailed relevant information by filling out a form issued by the Health Ministry.
The Health Ministry also advised Surinamese citizens to avoid traveling to high-risk countries in West Africa.
A person can become infected with Ebola up to 21 days after initial exposure to the virus.
So far, seven countries have reported over 9,200 confirmed, probable and suspected cases, of which more than 4,500 have died, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest update. Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, among the least wealthy nations in West Africa where the disease is prevalent, are the worst-hit.
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