Ebola virus disease - travel advice West-Africa
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Recommendations from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, based on recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health does not longer advice against or recommend any travel restrictions to Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone due to the risk infection of ebola.
WHO declared Sierra Leone free of Ebola on the 7th of November 2015, Guinea on December 28, 2015 and, if no further cases are reported, Liberia will be declared ebola free on January the 14th 2016. Intensified surveillance for Ebola takes place in all three countries, and any new cases will be closely followed up with contact tracing and other measures to prevent further spread of infection.
For additional information please also check the latest advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before travelling: http://www.landsider.no
Advice to people travelling to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone from Norway
FHI no longer advises against travel to Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone. Although there is believed to be no risk of Ebola, travellers to the previously affected countries should, take general steps to minimize the risk of acquiring any transmissible infection, including: Avoid direct contact with blood or bodily fluids of a patient or a corpse and with objects possibly contaminated.
- Avoid contact with wild animals, alive or dead, and consumption of ‘bush meat’.
- Avoid having unprotected sexual intercourse.
- Wash hands regularly, using soap or antiseptics.
It is also prudent that you ensure that, in the event of any illness or accident, medical evacuation is covered by your travel insurance. In addition, you should consult the advice provided locally by national authorities on travel to the affected countries.
Advice to people travelling from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to Norway
The risk of infection with the Ebola virus is extremely low. However: If you develop fever, unexplained fatigue, diarrhoea or any other severe symptoms (e.g. vomiting, unexplained bleeding, severe headache) in first three weeks after returning from Guinea, Liberia, or Sierra Leone, you should:
- Rapidly seek medical attention by phone and tell about your travel history, since your symptoms may be due to Ebola or another infection (like malaria) that requires immediate investigation and treatment.
- Tell your healthcare provider if you have been directly exposed to any bodily fluids from a dead or living infected person or animal, including unprotected sexual contact with patients that have recovered from Ebola, in order to enable medical personnel to use appropriate protection at the time of admission.