The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has extended a 21-day entry restriction on travelers who have recently been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan, as an Ebola outbreak in the region continues to spread beyond its original epicenter.
Under the order, foreign nationals who have been physically present in any of the three countries within the previous 21 days are barred from entering the US, regardless of nationality, with narrow exceptions for US citizens, lawful permanent residents, and case-by-case humanitarian, law enforcement or public health exemptions. The restriction, first imposed in May and repeatedly renewed, is now set to run through July 21 unless amended earlier.
Separately, the Trump administration this week began imposing additional Title 49 transportation restrictions specifically on US citizens returning from Congo, requiring them to spend at least 21 days outside the country before boarding a flight home. Officials said the move reflects growing concern that Ebola transmission has spread beyond eastern Congo into the western part of the country, closer to the capital, Kinshasa. The World Health Organization has reported nearly 2,000 confirmed cases and more than 700 deaths in the current outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.
The measures have stranded some American aid workers and humanitarian personnel in the DRC, with the State Department saying it is coordinating with humanitarian partners to support affected citizens during the waiting period. The restrictions have also disrupted regional air travel, with major hubs including airports in Nairobi and Lagos increasing health screening for passengers transiting from Congo.
