US Bans Entry of Foreign Nationals from Three African Countries Over Ebola Outbreak

The United States has formally imposed a temporary entry ban on foreign nationals who have travelled from three African countries—the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda and South Sudan—amid the Ebola outbreak there. The ban applies to any person who has been in those countries within 21 days prior to their scheduled arrival in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The policy is planned to last 30 days, after which the CDC will conduct a thorough review to decide whether to extend or lift the measure based on the evolving epidemiological situation. Exemptions exist for certain groups, but those travellers will still be subject to far stricter health screenings. Under directives from the Department of Homeland Security, all travellers with a history of travel from the affected region will be routed through a single primary entry point, Washington Dulles International Airport, for intensified screening. The step follows the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring Ebola outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda a public health emergency last week, warning that transmission of the virus poses a real threat to international health security. Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have recorded at least 131 deaths in this latest wave, which has re-emerged after being declared over in October 2025. Ebola is a highly contagious viral disease with a high fatality rate. The incubation period can reach up to 21 days, which is the basis for the CDC’s 21-day travel history monitoring for entrants. The WHO has stated that developing an Ebola vaccine for the latest outbreak in the DRC could take up to nine months. The United Nations’ World Food Programme has warned that food insecurity and political instability in the DRC worsen the risk of Ebola spread, with about 26.5 million people facing acute food insecurity.