North Korea May Lift Ebola Travel Bans, Tour Agencies Claim

North Korea may lift its travel restrictions enacted four months ago as a response to the recent Ebola outbreak, multiple tour agencies reported this week.

Since last fall, the isolated Asian country had enacted measures that are allegedly angled at stopping the spread of the Ebola virus, which killed thousands in West Africa last year but has since been taken into control following extensive health measures in countries like Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Last October, North Korea's government temporarily blocked all foreign visitors from visiting the country, and then demanded that all foreign visitors undergo a 21-day Ebola quarantine before entering the country.

Government officials also banned foreigners from attending major events scheduled for April, including banning foreign runners from the Pyongyang marathon and cancelling the well-known Grand Mass gymnastics performance at the annual Arirang Festival, also scheduled for April.

North Korea travel agencies are now reporting that the country's health ministry has lifted its ban on travel due to Ebola.

"We've heard from a couple of sources that the Ebola suspension has apparently been lifted. However it hasn't come down through official channels yet and as such can't be said to be 100 percent but it's looking very good for a full official return to the norm at some point today," Troy Collings, who works for the China-based Young Pioneers travel agency, told NK News this week.

Rumors of North Korea's decision to lift the Ebola travel restrictions after four months come shortly after international rumors circulated regarding the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after he was absent from the public eye for several weeks.