In its effort to stamp out the potential threat of Ebola transmission that has ravaged West African countries, North Korea has placed travel restrictions on those entering Pyongyang, the Daily NK has learned.

“In order to prevent transmission of the Ebola virus, a central command office for hygiene and quarantine has been set up,” a source in North Hamgyung Province told the Daily NK on Tuesday. “They have also been placing limits on travel permits for people in regional areas since mid-October to try to curb entry into Pyongyang.”

“They aren’t issuing travel permits to Pyongyang for those on personal business, such as for family events,” the source said. “For state officials who have access to Pyongyang, they now have to go through the cumbersome process of receiving an epidemiological certificate from the provincial quarantine office.”

“From above [Central Party], they have asked that work-related issues be taken care of over the phone in order to reduce unnecessary movement of people,” he reported. “These measures have caused losses for provincial trade workers and merchants.”

North Korea usually issues approval numbers to limit those traveling on personal or official business to Pyongyang under the pretext of protecting the capital, as well as to the border areas. The numbers are handed out after Pyongyang’s State Security Department [SSD] approves applications first issued by provincial SSD offices.

The application for travel to Pyongyang, which was previously only restricted through the numerical approval system, has now become more difficult with an additional requirement of submitting a health certificate. This move is seen as the North’s effort to discourage travel to preclude potential transmission of the Ebola virus.

Roughly a decade ago, when the avian influenza was spreading within the country, the North placed restrictions on travel to the capital, also requiring certificates from provincial quarantine offices.

It is likely the North is taking such precautions out of fear the country might see an outbreak of the virus, as it does not have the means to track down the channel of transmission in the case of an Ebola infection, let alone the medical equipment or drugs to treat patients. This serves as testimony to how outdated the country’s health and quarantine system is and why the nation is placing so much attention on the epidemic.