Cabinet has issued a travel ban for non-South Africans from Ebola infested countries, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Thursday.
Except in “absolutely essential” circumstances, no South African is allowed to travel to high-risk countries Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
South Africans returning from these countries will be subjected to rigorous screening.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi yesterday announced that the cabinet had, on Wednesday, decided on the travel ban after being briefed about the growing crisis.
He said “whoever decides to leave through some unknown route, will never be allowed back into this country”.
According to the latest figures from the World Health Organisation, there have been 1350 deaths caused by Ebola since the outbreak of the disease was identified in Guinea in March.
Liberia is the hardest-hit country, with 576 deaths so far, followed by Guinea with 396 and Sierra Leone with 374 .
Motsoaledi said South Africans who return from the high-risk countries will be required to complete a comprehensive health questionnaire before being allowed entry.
“Should the comprehensive medical questionnaire and the temperature screening reveal something suspicious, they will have to subject themselves to a complete medical examination.”
Motsoaledi will today meet the directors of companies that have operations in the affected countries to discuss the “unique situation” of the South Africans stationed in them.
A 37-year-old South African who returned from Liberia is undergoing tests at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. The man, who worked as a health and safety officer, has so far tested negative .
The Health Department has received R32-million from the African Renaissance Fund to help it ward off the epidemic . Motsoaledi said the money would be used for testing Ebola suspects. Each test costs R21 000.
He said the cabinet had established an inter-ministerial team made up of representatives of 11 departments to coordinate efforts to keep Ebola out of South Africa.
Surveillance of people travelling from medium- and low-risk countries, such as Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia, has been strengthened.
Botswana has also banned international travels for the next 30 days to countries most affected by Ebola including Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Liberia in order to curb the risk of spreading the disease in the country.