Wednesday, October 15, 2014

St. Lucia: No visitors from Ebola stricken nations

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) -- The leader of the small Caribbean island of St. Lucia issued an order Wednesday to immediately bar entry to travelers coming from three West African nations overwhelmed with Ebola epidemics.

The Colombian government in South America later announced it would bar entry by anyone who has traveled to five African nations within the preceding four weeks.

St. Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Anthony said all visitors from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone were prohibited from entering his country until the Ebola outbreak is brought under control, saying the ban will minimize chances for the deadly disease to be introduced by an infected traveler.

St. Lucia is a poor, small nation that does not have the capacity "to manage any crisis that lands on our doorstep, any crisis of that kind," Anthony said.

He said an outbreak of the virus would be devastating for the country of 200,000 people, where tourism accounts for more than 60 percent of gross domestic product.

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