Africa CDC urges Saudi Arabia to lift ‘unjustified’ Ebola travel restrictions against Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 3 — The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has called on Saudi Arabia to lift travel restrictions imposed on Kenya over the Ebola outbreak, warning that blanket measures could undermine public health cooperation and punish countries that openly report disease outbreaks.

Africa CDC Director General Dr Jean Kaseya said Kenya had made significant progress in containing the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, with no new confirmed infections reported since October 19 and no evidence of sustained community transmission.

In an appeal to Riyadh, Kaseya said five patients who had tested positive for the virus were set to be discharged after returning negative PCR results, while another 46 people had completed the mandatory 21-day quarantine period.

He urged Saudi Arabia to review its restrictions, which include suspending travel by its citizens to Kenya and halting the issuance of visas to Kenyan travellers.

“Africa needs partnerships, not sanctions. Solidarity, not stigmatization,” Kaseya said, expressing support for Kenya’s response to the outbreak.

He argued that the detection of an imported Ebola case should not automatically be interpreted as a failure of a country’s health security system, particularly where authorities demonstrate transparency, early detection and effective containment.

Kenya has recorded nine confirmed cases, including two deaths, with all infections epidemiologically linked to a single imported case.

The agency said no new confirmed case had been reported since October 19, while contact tracing, monitoring, laboratory testing and infection prevention measures remained in place.

Kaseya warned that travel restrictions should be based on scientific evidence, proportionality and transparency, rather than fear or the mere presence of imported infections.

He also cited the recent detection of an imported Ebola case in France, arguing that international health standards should be applied consistently regardless of whether an outbreak occurs in Africa or Europe.

“Scientific standards must be applied consistently, whether an imported case is detected in an African country, a European country or anywhere else in the world,” he said.

Africa CDC cautioned that broad travel and visa restrictions could disrupt trade, economic activities and family ties while discouraging countries from reporting outbreaks promptly.

It called on Saudi Arabia to engage with the Kenyan government, Africa CDC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to review the restrictions while retaining any necessary public health measures supported by scientific evidence.

The agency said targeted screening, surveillance, contact tracing, isolation and cross-border cooperation offered more proportionate ways of managing the risk than blanket restrictions on travellers.

The appeal follows Kenya’s protest against the Saudi measures, with Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale describing them as excessive and inconsistent with the country’s epidemiological situation.

Duale has maintained that the outbreak remains contained within an identified cluster and that all 135 identified contacts had been traced.

Saudi Arabia introduced the restrictions on October 30, citing an assessment of the Ebola situation and the need to protect its citizens, residents and visitors.

The measures also cover travellers who have stayed in Kenya or another Ebola-affected country within 21 days before arriving in the Kingdom.

Kaseya said Africa needed greater financial and technical support to contain outbreaks rather than measures that isolate affected countries.

He urged international partners to support Kenya’s response, saying transparent reporting and effective disease surveillance should attract cooperation rather than punishment.

“Health security must unite nations, not divide them,” he said.

​Bruhan Makong is a Senior News Reporter for Capital FM in Nairobi, covering diplomacy, foreign policy, national security, climate, and human rights across East Africa and the wider region.