Israel has removed Kenya and Rwanda from its list of countries subject to temporary Ebola-related travel restrictions, following a review by the country’s Ministry of Health.
The decision reverses measures announced last week that barred foreign nationals who had recently travelled through Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo from entering Israel. The restrictions had applied to anyone who had been in the affected countries within 21 days before their planned arrival.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Israeli Embassy in Nairobi said the Ministry of Health had decided to remove Kenya and Rwanda from the list after reassessing the regional Ebola situation. Uganda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo remain under the temporary restrictions.
The move came hours after Kenya lodged a diplomatic protest, arguing that the restrictions were not supported by public health data. Kenya has not recorded any confirmed Ebola cases and has maintained heightened surveillance measures in response to the outbreak affecting parts of the region.
Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing’Oei, welcomed Israel’s decision, describing it as a sign of continued cooperation and partnership between the two countries.
The Ebola outbreak, involving the Bundibugyo strain, has primarily affected the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, prompting several countries to tighten travel rules and increase health screening measures.
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