Ebola outbreak: India, Greece advice nationals not to travel to Nigeria, others

Greece and India have warned their citizens to avoid non-essential
travels to Nigeria, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone because of the
outbreak of Ebola virus in these west African countries.

A statement issued by the Greek Health Ministry said the
recommendation was after a meeting with the Hellenic Center of Disease
Control and Prevention (KEELPNO).

The ministry said the country would take "precautionary measures" at
ports and other entry points to monitor people coming into the
country.

"Our country has a low level of risk in terms of the virus entering the country.

"But it is deemed appropriate to issue strict travel instructions to
the public and to boost the level of preparedness at the entry gates
to the country," the ministry's statement said.

Greece is just the latest among countries advising travellers to
cancel trips to countries affected by the virus.

Similarly, India Union's Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan, was
reported as saying that the country had taken
precautionary steps to deal with any case of the virus.

In a statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja,
Vardhan recommended that non-essential travel to Guinea, Liberia,
Sierra Leone and Nigeria be deferred.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported 1,603 cases,
including 887 deaths (as of Aug. 4), in West Africa from Guinea,
Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

The Indian health minister also said the government would be obtaining
details of travellers originating or transiting from Ebola virus
affected countries to India from the concerned Airlines and Indian
Missions.

He said the government would track these persons after their arrival
in India, up to their final destination in the country.

According to the India's External Affairs Ministry some 40,000 Indian
citizens are currently living in Nigeria.

NAN reports that Nigeria's Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu,
is due to brief members of the diplomatic corps later on Thursday.

Chukwu will brief the diplomats on Nigeria's response to the Ebola
virus outbreak, after the country recorded two deaths from the virus
in Lagos.

The U.S., Germany and France are among those who have warned
travellers to cancel trips to the countries affected by the virus.
(NAN)