Ebola Update: Australia Imposes Visa Ban On Affected Countries

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison announced the development as part of the country’s efforts to keep the disease out of its shores. Australia has issued a visa ban on all countries currently battling an outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison announced the development as part of the country’s efforts to keep the disease out of its shores. Morrison also added that the immigration programme for such travellers would be suspended and people from the affected countries who had been issued non-permanent or temporary visas but had not entered Australia would have their visas cancelled. He added further that those with permanent visas can enter the country, but would have to be subjected to a quarantine period of 21 days. Morrison said on Monday, October 27: "The government has strong controls for the entry of persons to Australia under our immigration programme from West Africa," "These measures include temporarily suspending our immigration programme, including our humanitarian programme from Ebola-affected countries, and this means we are not processing any application from these affected countries." Australia has been severely criticized for the move and for refusing to send medical personnel to help battle the outbreak. U2 frontman and Humanitarian, Bono had earlier criticized Prime Minister Tony Abbot for refusing to join the fight against Ebola saying: 'It's outrageous. It's not the Australia I know.'