(Posted 16th October 2026)
It is understood from sources in the Seychelles that the mid Indian Ocean island state has tightened entry requirements for foreign travellers arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) amid concerns over the Ebola outbreak, It should be mentioned that no cases have been detected locally, Public Health Commissioner Jude Gedeon said yesterday.
Public Health Commissioner Gedeon said the measures were intended to reduce the risk of importing the disease as authorities continued to monitor developments overseas, no doubt related to the importation of Ebola cases into Kenya over the past two weeks.
On travel involving passengers / visitors arriving from or via Kenya, Public Health Commissioner Gedeon said authorities were monitoring developments but were not applying the same restrictions at this stage.
“So as far as we know, Kenya doesn’t have community transmission,” he said, pointing to its surveillance and contact-tracing response presently underway across Kenya.
Foreign nationals travelling from the DRC must now spend at least 21 days outside that country before they are allowed to enter the Seychelles. They must also comply with health monitoring requirements in the country where they stay and provide supporting documentation where applicable.
“Besides advising people not to travel to the DRC unless it’s for an emergency, we are also adding a new measure obligating anyone coming from the DRC to spend a minimum of 21 days in another country outside the DRC or another place outside the DRC before they can come to Seychelles for business or vacationing,” he said.
The written advisory distinguishes between foreign nationals and Seychellois citizens and residents. Citizens and residents arriving from the DRC, or who have been there within the previous 21 days, will be allowed into the country but will be subject to mandatory public health measures.
These may include quarantine at a designated facility or approved location for the remainder of the 21 days, as determined by the Public Health Authority.
