Taiwan is set to implement more thorough health checks on visa applicants from the West African nations affected by the recent Ebola outbreak. That’s the word from Roger Luo, deputy chief of the foreign ministry’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Speaking on Thursday, Luo said that Taiwanese consular authorities will first determine whether it is necessary for applicants from these countries to travel to Taiwan. They will then check applicants’ health before deciding whether to grant a visa.
The Ebola outbreak has so far impacted Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Nigeria. The outbreak has already claimed upwards of 1,000 deaths. Luo said that on average, only around 10 people from the affected countries enter Taiwan each year. But Luo said that despite the low numbers, the government must still do what is necessary to protect Taiwan from the outbreak.