The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced a temporary entry ban targeting foreign travelers who have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan during the past 21 days. This measure applies to all individuals regardless of their country of origin and will remain in effect for 30 days from its issuance date.

The CDC stated that the suspension is designed to address the heightened risk of introducing Ebola virus into the United States while enabling time for comprehensive public health assessments, enhanced surveillance systems, diagnostic capabilities, contact tracing protocols, and collaborative containment strategies with international partners.

International aid organizations reported at least six Americans were exposed to the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, though it remains unclear whether any have contracted the disease or if the individuals are still present there. The CDC confirmed efforts to identify potentially exposed persons through coordination with airlines, port-of-entry officials, and global health authorities.

The agency emphasized that the current outbreak poses a low immediate risk to the general U.S. population. Separately, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a “public health emergency of international concern” following an Ebola outbreak linked to the Bundibugyo virus in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. As of May 15, the WHO reported 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths (including four among confirmed cases), with 65 contacts identified—15 classified as high-risk.

Most suspected cases involve individuals aged 20–39 years, with females comprising over 60% of infections, indicating significant household and caregiver transmission risks. The CDC is collaborating with U.S. agencies to safely withdraw Americans from affected regions but has not confirmed the number of exposed persons, the nature of their exposure events, or whether any have developed symptoms.