Mexico bars travelers from Central Africa over Ebola ahead of World Cup

Three Mexican airlines announced emergency travel restrictions Friday for passengers arriving from Central Africa due to a deadly Ebola outbreak, just two weeks before Mexico is set to co-host the World Cup.

"Entry into Mexico by air is restricted for travelers who have visited Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), or South Sudan within the last 21 days," Aeromexico, the nation's flagship carrier, announced on social media. 

Low-cost airlines Viva and Volaris issued identical 60-day bans.

The restrictions come at a critical time. The DRC has qualified for the tournament and is scheduled to play its first-round matches across the United States and Mexico. 

The World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, kicks off on June 11 with an opening match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City.

To mitigate risks, the Congolese national team has been training in Belgium and plans to base its tournament operations out of Houston, Texas.

Outbreak statistics

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a sharp rise in casualties in the DRC since May 15.

Suspected Ebola cases in the DR Congo have surged past 1,000. Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba announced late Friday that cases rose to 1,028. Of these, 225 cases have been laboratory-confirmed. 

Public health officials are highly concerned as this specific outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which no approved vaccine or targeted treatment currently exists.

(With input from wires)