WHO chief calls for reconsidering travel ban as DR Congo fights Ebola

Uganda increases health screening and security measures at border crossings due to rising Ebola cases in Bunagana, Uganda, on Friday. Neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo is also fighting the Ebola outbreak. NICHOLAS KAJOBA VIA GETTY IMAGES

BUNIA, DR Congo — World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Saturday called on countries that have imposed travel bans or closed borders in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda to reconsider such measures.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Bunia, the capital of the northeastern Ituri Province and the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak, Tedros said such restrictions could complicate response efforts and risk discouraging transparency and trust, which are essential to saving lives.

"I call on countries that have imposed travel bans or border closures to reconsider. These measures make the response harder, and they discourage transparency and trust that saves lives," Tedros said.

Despite the lack of approved vaccines and specific medicines, the WHO chief said patients could still recover if they receive timely, quality medical care.