Australia has temporarily closed its borders to people from Ebola-affected west African nations as it steps up the nation's defences against the virus, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison told parliament on Monday Australia had suspended its immigration program, including its humanitarian intake, from Ebola-affected countries including Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Mr Morrison added Australia was cancelling or refusing non-permanent or temporary visas for people from Ebola-affected nations who had not departed for Australia.

He said the government was ensuring that all people from Ebola-affected nations who had entered Australia through the humanitarian program before the suspension had undergone three separate health checks before their departure, and were being subject to on-arrival screening and post-arrival monitoring.

Other permanent visa holders from these nations were being required to submit to a 21-day quarantine period before their departure for Australia, Mr Morrison said.

Nineteen people from four west African families are in home isolation in Queensland after travelling to the state under a humanitarian program this month.

New checks introduced at Australian airports in August have identified 946 people whose journeys originated in Ebola-affected countries. About 30 Australians are thought to be working in west Africa for organisations such as Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Red Cross.