Trinidad joins Guyana in banning Nigerians

The ban on Nigerian travellers over the Ebola disease is gradually spreading, with another Caribbean country wielding the big stick.

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has decided to deny visas to persons from Sierra Leone, Guinea, Congo, Liberia and Nigeria to prevent Ebola from entering the country.

Guyana, another Caribbean nation, had also placed a ban on travellers from Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Fuad Khan, the Trinidad and Tobago health minister (pictured), made the announcement at a post-cabinet news conference at the office of the prime minister.

“Persons who have visited those countries within a six-week period will also be prohibited from entering Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.

The minister added that citizens of Trinidad and Tobago who visited or live in the aforementioned countries and wish to come home will be quarantined for a 21-day period.

The government of the twin island country has also banned its officials from travelling to any of the five countries, which have recorded cases of Ebola.

Khan said the country was not considering banning travellers from the United States, adding that the US has a stringent screening system in place.

The banned countries have recorded 4,541 Ebola deaths, with Liberia recording 2,458; Sierra Leone, 1,183; Guinea, 843; Congo, 49 and Nigeria, 8.

However, Nigeria no longer has any case of the disease and is expected to be declared Ebola-free on October 20.