Off the wire
• Return of ISS astronauts delayed to June after Russian cargo craft failure: NASA  • Iran expresses optimism over new round of nuclear talks  • Fighting terrorism not limited to security campaigns: Egypt's Sisi  • Turkish president condemns attack on Turkish cargo ship  • LME base metals rise mostly on Tuesday  • Urgent: U.S. stocks end mildly lower as Greece concerns grow  • British FTSE 100 loses 1.37 pct on Tuesday  • G7 energy ministers agree to further improve sustainable energy security  • Jardim extends deal with Monaco for four more years  • Mandela Capture Site in S. Africa to get upgrade  
You are here: 　 Home

Kenya lifts travel suspension on Ebola-free Liberia

Xinhua, May 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Kenyan government on Tuesday lifted temporary suspension of travellers from Liberia with immediate effect after the UN health agency declared the West African nation free from Ebola virus.

"However, the country will continue to screen all travelers coming to Kenya from Liberia and other countries until the outbreak is controlled in the world," said Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the Liberian government on May 9 declared the country free from Ebola after 42 days without a new case.

However, celebrations were muted by thoughts for the dead and medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) urged vigilance until the worst outbreak of the disease ever recorded was also extinguished in neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone.

According to WHO, more than 11,000 people have died from Ebola in the three West African neighbors since the outbreak began in December 2013.

The UN health agency said it will maintain an enhanced staff presence in Liberia until the end of the year as the response transitions from outbreak control, to vigilance for imported cases, to the recovery of essential health services.

Kenya, which banned travelers from Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia in August 16, 2014, lauded Liberia for the successful containment of the outbreak. Endi