US tightens travel rules for people returning from Ebola-hit regions
An ambulance transports a patient accompanied by a doctor wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Ebola Virus Disease Treatment Center, one month after cases were confirmed in Bunia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, June 15, 2026.
The United States has tightened travel restrictions for people returning from Uganda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as it steps up measures to prevent the spread of Ebola.
Under the new measures, travellers arriving from Uganda and South Sudan will undergo enhanced health screening, while people travelling from the DRC will face tougher restrictions. Those who have recently been in the DRC must spend 21 days outside the country before they can enter the US on a commercial flight.
The measures come as health authorities respond to a serious Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC, where cases have been reported across several provinces, raising concerns about cross-border transmission.
The US decision forms part of a wider effort to prevent Ebola cases from entering the country while monitoring travellers who may have been exposed to the virus.
The measures have also raised concerns among humanitarian organisations, which warn that travel restrictions could complicate the movement of health workers and aid personnel involved in the Ebola response.
The US has also increased its financial support for the response, pledging an additional $242 million, bringing its total assistance to $512 million. The funding is expected to support disease surveillance, treatment and other emergency operations in eastern DRC.
The latest restrictions reflect Washington's increasingly cautious approach to the outbreak as authorities seek to prevent imported cases while supporting efforts to contain Ebola at its source.
