Ebola Outbreak: U.S. Enacts Travel Restrictions

Addis Ababa – The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) acknowledges the recent issuance of a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory by the U.S. government concerning the DRC.

In addition, the U.S. has enacted entry restrictions for non-U.S. passport holders who have recently traveled to the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan.

In a statement released on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, Africa CDC highlighted that the U.S. is a longstanding and valued partner in areas such as disease surveillance, emergency response, workforce development, and global health security.

As of 18 May 2026, there have been around 395 suspected cases and 106 reported fatalities in the DRC, predominantly in the Mongwalu, Rwampara, and Bunia Health Zones, along with two cases and one death in Kampala, Uganda.

Ebola is a severe and often lethal disease spread through direct contact with infected individuals’ bodily fluids, contaminated materials, or deceased individuals carrying the virus.

Effective measures to halt transmission include early detection, swift isolation and care, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, community involvement, and safe and dignified burials.

Since the outbreak commenced, Africa CDC has been consistently providing information to Member States, partners, the media, and the international community, accumulating over 1,600 references in global media citing Africa CDC data and technical updates.

Africa CDC recognizes the U.S. government’s advisory and entry restrictions for non-U.S. passport holders who have recently visited the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan.

The agency fully respects the sovereign responsibility of every government to protect the health and security of its citizens.

“Our concern lies not with the intent to protect populations but with the use of broad travel restrictions as a primary public health strategy during outbreaks,” stated Africa CDC.

“Public health measures in outbreaks should be guided by science, proportionality, transparency, international cooperation, and adherence to international health regulations.”

Africa CDC firmly believes that generalized travel restrictions and border closures do not effectively address outbreaks.

Such actions can induce fear, damage economies, hinder transparency, complicate humanitarian efforts, and drive movement toward unmonitored routes, ultimately heightening public health risks.

“The fastest way to protect all nations is to robustly support outbreak control at its source,” emphasized H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC.

“Achieving global health security cannot be realized solely through borders—it necessitates collaboration, trust, scientific engagement, and rapid investment in preparedness and response capabilities.”

This ongoing Ebola outbreak highlights a deeper structural inequality in global health innovation: the Bundibugyo Ebolavirus was identified nearly two decades ago, yet licensed vaccines or treatments for this strain are still unavailable.

Africa CDC argues that if this disease primarily threatened wealthier regions, medical countermeasures would have been developed by now.

A similar scenario occurred during the West African Ebola outbreak when solutions were identified only after an American doctor was infected, while thousands of Africans lost their lives without assistance.

We must not allow this oversight to recur.

The declaration of the PHECS on 18 May 2026 on the Africa CDC Official Website aimed to mobilize political leadership, resources, and coordinated continental action.

This is not a call for panic, but a plea for solidarity, urgency, and collective responsibility.

Africa CDC calls for intensified international support for:

• Enhanced cross-border preparedness and regional coordination;
• Ongoing support for frontline health workers and Ministries of Health;
• Strengthening risk communication and vigorous community engagement;
• Expansion of Bundibugyo Ebolavirus laboratory diagnostics and genomic sequencing;
• Deployment of epidemiologists and emergency response experts;
• Increased funding for surveillance, logistics, infection prevention, and case management, including the capacity to isolate cases and conduct dignified burials;
• Accelerated development of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for all Ebola strains;

Africa CDC is fully mobilized to support the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, and all at-risk Member States.