The Department of Health has introduced mandatory health screening measures for travellers arriving in South Africa from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following the ongoing Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak.

More than 2,000 confirmed Ebola cases and over 800 deaths have been reported since the outbreak began in May.

In a statement, the department said the questionnaire is mandatory and that travellers will not be allowed to travel without it.

“Due to the current EVD outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, everyone travelling to South Africa from the DRC and Uganda is required to complete a Travel Health Questionnaire (THQ).”

Travellers will be required to complete the questionnaire before departure.

“The THQ can be completed up to 24 hours before travel to South Africa to facilitate smooth processing upon arrival.”

The measure is aimed at strengthening health screening at the country’s ports of entry.

The questionnaire can be found at https://porthealth.dhmis.org/travel/.