Monday, October 27, 2014

Australia suspends immigration from Ebola-hit nations

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison told parliament the government had stopped issuing visas to people from those countries hit by the disease, which has claimed close to 5,000 lives in its worst outbreak . "These measures include temporarily suspending our immigration programme, including our humanitarian programme, from EVD (Ebola Virus Disease) affected countries," he said.
  
"This means we are not processing any application from these affected countries." People who had already been granted visas on humanitarian grounds would be able to travel to Australia, but would be subject to three separate health checks before departure as well as screening on arrival.

But officials would cancel and refuse non-permanent or temporary visas for people who had not yet departed for Australia, Morrison said. The restrictions came as an 18-year-old girl who arrived in Australia from Guinea 12 days ago with eight relatives remained in isolation in a Queensland hospital after testing negative for Ebola, authorities said.

Morrison called on Australians and other travellers to inform immigration officials about their travel history when they enter the country "if you have been in West Africa up to 21 days prior to your arrival"."This is especially important if you have had a broken journey en route to Australia," he said.

 
 

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