Authorities in Thailand and several neighboring Asian countries have tightened border health controls amid growing concerns over the latest Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, introducing stricter screening and quarantine measures for travelers arriving from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

Thailand, whose economy depends heavily on tourism, has announced that travelers arriving from or transiting through Congo will face mandatory monitoring and possible quarantine for up to 21 days, even if they do not show symptoms of infection.

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According to Dr. Montien Kanasawadse, director-general of Thailand’s Department of Disease Control, the World Health Organization declared on May 17 that the Ebola outbreak linked to the Bundibugyo virus strain in Congo and Uganda constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.

Health authorities said there is currently no officially approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, while the outbreak in Congo continues to worsen, prompting countries across Asia to intensify surveillance of travelers from affected regions.

Thai authorities have already strengthened screening procedures at airports and border entry points. Reports from Bangkok Post indicate that as of May 22, Thailand had received 10 travelers from Ebola-affected areas — eight from Uganda and two from Congo. All were screened on arrival and showed no symptoms of the disease.

However, authorities have directed all 10 travelers to remain under health observation and continuously report their health status for 21 days, which corresponds with Ebola’s incubation period.

Other Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, have also tightened monitoring and preventive health measures for incoming travelers linked to Ebola-affected countries in an effort to prevent any possible spread of the deadly virus into the region.