Canada to Impose Quarantine on Travellers From Ebola-Affected Regions

Canada will require some travellers returning from Ebola-affected areas in Africa to quarantine for 21 days when they arrive in the country.

The new rule applies to people who have been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan during the 21 days before entering Canada. It will begin on May 30 at 11:59 p.m. EDT and stay in effect until Aug. 29, 2026.

The federal government says the measure is a response to the Ebola outbreak in those regions. Officials also said the list of affected areas could grow if the outbreak spreads.

Who must quarantine

The quarantine rule applies to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals who have recently been in one of the three countries and do not have symptoms when they arrive in Canada.

These travellers must quarantine for 21 days after entering the country. If someone does not have a safe place to stay during quarantine, the government will provide one.

Travellers who show symptoms will not be sent to a regular quarantine site. Instead, they will be isolated in a hospital for further medical assessment.

The government says it will keep watching the outbreak and change the rules if needed. Travellers who may be affected are being advised to check Canada’s travel advisories for the latest information before making plans.

First quarantine order since COVID rules ended

This is the first time Canada has imposed quarantine requirements on incoming travellers since it lifted its COVID-19 travel restrictions in 2022.

The quarantine measure is part of a wider response announced by the federal government this week.

On May 26, Canada announced a 90-day suspension of visitor visas, also called temporary resident visas, electronic travel authorizations, and permanent resident visas for residents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan.

Visa processing also paused

That suspension is set to take effect at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on May 27. It means foreign nationals from those countries who already hold travel documents covered by the measure will not be allowed to travel to Canada during the suspension period.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has also paused the processing of new applications from residents of the same countries for the same 90-day period.

The visa suspension and quarantine rule work together as a two-part plan. One measure limits travel from the affected regions. The other sets health rules for people who are still allowed to enter Canada after recently visiting those areas.

Officials have not said that all travellers from Africa are affected. The current measures are limited to people connected to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan, or those who have visited one of those countries within the previous 21 days.

The government says the steps are meant to reduce the risk of Ebola spreading while allowing Canada to respond quickly as the situation changes.