Patrick Agyemang, right, of the United States takes a shot on goal against Koni De Winter of Belgium during the international friendly match in March between the USMNT and Belgium in Atlanta, Ga. On Wednesday, Belgium denied a U.S. demand to impose strict entry bans on Congolese travelers before the World Cup. File Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA
Belgian officials on Wednesday rejected a demand by the United States that Belgium impose an entry ban on people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
U.S. officials said the proposed ban was meant to prevent the spread of Ebola during the World Cup.
Frank Vandenbroucke, Belgium’s health minister, said the country would continue following scientific advice rather than U.S. demands, Politico reported.
“We are in close consultation with the partners involved and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control,” Vandenbroucke said. “Science concludes that action must be taken where the crisis is raging. An entry ban is not proposed to anyone at the moment.”
The minister said Belgium has screening precautions and controls at departure points in countries to which Ebola has spread and that if someone did arrive with symptoms, they would immediately go into quarantine at prepared hospitals.
The World Cup starts Thursday in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Brussels Times reported that the United States wants any participating countries to use the same strict travel restrictions related to Ebola and that it will consider entry bans against people from those countries if the demands are not followed.
The United States is refusing entry to any travelers who have been in the DRC or Uganda.
Vandenbroucke also accused the United States of undermining the international response to the Ebola crisis.
“The U.S. bear an overwhelming responsibility for what is happening now, because development cooperation and medical aid have been scaled back,” he said. “They are going to have millions of people on their conscience.”
DRC authorities said Tuesday that there are nearly 600 confirmed Ebola cases. The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency over the outbreak in May.
