‘This is torture’: Lives of Congolese people disrupted by Canada’s Ebola travel ban

The last several months have been marked by misses for people from the Democratic Republic of Congo with ties to Canada. Visa holders from the DRC have been banned from entering the country since May, which Canada’s government has called a precautionary measure as an Ebola outbreak rapidly spreads predominantly in a concentrated area of northeastern Congo. “This is torture for people, to be separated from their families,” Theodyle Kumpava said from Kinshasa, almost 3,000 kilometres from the outbreak in the country’s southwest, where no cases have been reported.

Several people whose lives have been disrupted by the ban have shared their stories ahead of Sept. 28, when the restrictions are set to expire. They question why they can’t quarantine for 21 days, like Canadian citizens and permanent residents can, or take an Ebola test before boarding a flight, or self-monitor for symptoms, as is the case in Europe.

The government has not said whether it plans to extend the measures again. Last month, they were extended by 30 days at short notice. A ‘DOUBLE STANDARD’ Kumpava is praying the measures won’t be extended again.

Her son Nathan Boongo, a permanent resident and civil engineer, is getting married on Oct. 2 at a venue near Ottawa, where he went to university and met his fiancée. Just the thought of not walking him down the aisle is suffocating, she said.

“To not see the children while I’m alive, it feels like they’ve killed me already. It’s like I can’t exist,” Kumpava said, speaking of being separated from Boongo and three other sons who live in Canada. Kumpava and her husband already missed their younger son’s graduation in June because of the restrictions.

At the time, the government characterized the measures as precautionary ahead of an increase in tourism tied to the World Cup, despite World Health Organization guidance against blanket travel bans. Mark Johnson, a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada, said the risk of Ebola to people in Canada is low, but “given the severity of Ebola disease and the evolving international situation” the travel restrictions remain in place. Johnson said the government recognizes that border measures can place burdens on Canadians, their families and people coming to Canada.