New US travel restrictions from 3 African countries due to Ebola
Additional tests for everyone who visited affected countries within 21 days
Written by Omnia Hassan
The United States has imposed new travel restrictions targeting arrivals from three African countries experiencing outbreaks of the virus. EbolaThe Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, in a move described as precautionary to limit the spread of the infection to US territory.
The decision is being led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The procedures officially began on May 18, 2026, with a joint decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, requiring any non-U.S. traveler who has visited these countries in the past 21 days to undergo strict health checks and additional screening measures before being allowed to enter the United States, regardless of their original nationality.
A policy based on health risk assessment
These restrictions are based on a recent health assessment related to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, which has been confirmed in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, with concerns about the potential for regional spread. US authorities believe that international travel could represent a rapid transmission route for the virus, necessitating these temporary precautionary measures.
The relevant authorities confirmed that the decision does not target specific nationalities, but rather relies on recent travel records, in an effort to reduce the likelihood of infected individuals entering the country.
Temporary suspension of entry and 30-day evaluation
The new policy gives the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the authority to suspend entry for individuals from quarantined infectious disease-ridden areas if it is established that the influx of travelers from those areas poses a significant risk to public health.
The centers explained that the 30-day period represents the minimum required to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the outbreak's developments and accurately understand the epidemiological risks, in parallel with preparing a containment and mitigation plan in cooperation with federal agencies and international partners.
Dual objective: prevention and understanding
According to the official statement, the decision aims to reduce the likelihood of Ebola spreading to the United States, while simultaneously allowing health authorities to gain a deeper understanding of the outbreak's trajectory and its repercussions, enabling subsequent decisions to be made based on updated data.
Washington emphasizes that these restrictions are temporary and are solely related to the evolving health situation in the affected countries, within an approach that prioritizes public health over travel and mobility considerations.
