Phuket Orders 21-Day Quarantine for Travelers From High-Risk Ebola Countries
Phuket has imposed a mandatory 21-day quarantine for travelers arriving from high-risk Ebola countries, with officials saying no cases have been found in Thailand but tighter screening is needed.
Phuket authorities have ordered a mandatory 21-day quarantine for travelers arriving from countries deemed high risk for Ebola, officials said, while stressing that no cases have been detected in Thailand.
The measure was announced after a meeting of the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee chaired by Governor Nirat Phongsitthithavorn. Officials said Phuket must strengthen screening and preparedness because the province is an international gateway with many direct overseas flights.
According to officials, the current high-risk countries are the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, although that list could change. National authorities are also preparing to reroute flights from affected countries to Suvarnabhumi Airport only, with Phuket assigned to manage any residual arrivals.
Governor Nirat said Phuket must strictly follow Ministry of Public Health protocols.
He said lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic showed that complacency was dangerous and that strong emergency response and surveillance were needed to prevent damage.
Provincial health chief Dr. Dusadee Kongtrakulsub said Ebola differs from COVID-19 because it does not spread through the air. He said transmission requires direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of symptomatic patients.
Dr. Dusadee said Ebola has an incubation period of two to 21 days. He added that treatment is supportive only and that survival depends largely on individual immunity.
Officials said 11 travelers from risk countries are currently in Phuket. All are healthy tourists and are under close observation by health authorities.
The source said past Ebola outbreaks have recorded fatality rates ranging from 39.5% to 66%, while the latest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, cited as May 2026, reported a lower case fatality rate of 11% to 32.5%. Officials also said Thailand has never reported a confirmed or suspected Ebola case.
Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization President Rewat Areerob said local government, administrative agencies and the private sector were aligned with national health directives. He said the province was prepared, drawing on experience from COVID-19.
Provincial leaders urged residents and tourists to follow updates only from the Public Relations Office and the Provincial Health Office, warning that misinformation could cause unnecessary panic.
