Canada adds Ebola screening at airports as Ontario test comes back negative

Canada has introduced enhanced screening measures at airports for travellers returning from African countries facing a deadly Ebola outbreak, Canada’s top doctor said Friday after confirming an individual being tested in Ontario is negative for the virus.

Dr. Joss Reimer said the testing was done proactively after the individual returned from Ethiopia and reported symptoms “consistent with a range of illnesses.”

“Both the initial testing that was conducted in Ontario as well as confirmatory testing at the National Microbiology Laboratory were negative,” Reimer said during a virtual news conference.

“This is a good example of how quickly measures are activated, even when the likelihood of Ebola here in Canada is low.”

Reimer added in French that the enhanced “comprehensive” screening has been in place at Canadian airport kiosks since Wednesday, asking additional questions including whether returning travellers have been to the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda within 21 days of arriving in Canada.

Travellers to those countries are asked to self-identify if they are experiencing symptoms or if they have been in contact with someone who has Ebola, she added.

Additional quarantine and screening teams have been deployed, Reimer said, and information signage has been posted.

More to come…