US to remove Mali from Ebola airport screening list

Travelers coming to the United States from Mali will no longer be required to undergo extra screening at selected airports for potential exposure to Ebola, US authorities said Monday.

On Tuesday, the West African nation will mark 42 days -- or two full incubation cycles -- since the last Ebola patient in Mali had contact with anyone who was not wearing protective gear, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Mali had just two cases of Ebola, and both patients recovered.

"On Tuesday, January 6, 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will remove Mali from the list of Ebola-affected nations subject to enhanced visa and port-of-entry screening," a statement said.

"Travelers from Mali will no longer be required to undergo enhanced screening and monitoring when entering the United States, nor will they be required to enter the country through the five designated airports that perform this screening."

The hemorrhagic virus has killed 8,153 people and infected more than 20,000 in the past year, mainly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Extra screening and monitoring measures remain in place for travelers entering the United States from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone and travelers are advised to "avoid non-essential travel to the three countries with Ebola outbreaks," the statement said.