- The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a renewed 30-day travel ban for anyone from three African countries
- The ban targets travellers physically present in the three countries within 21 days of attempting to enter the United States
- The order has been renewed multiple times since it was first issued in May 2026 following a confirmed Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
UNITED STATES: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has renewed its travel entry restrictions for travellers recently present in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, or South Sudan.
The extension cites the continued threat posed by an active Ebola outbreak. The latest order, issued on 11 October 2026, will remain in force for 30 days.
It marks the fifth renewal since the CDC first imposed the restrictions on 18 May 2026, following confirmed cases of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain in the DRC. The order was subsequently continued on 21 June, 13 July, 12 August, and 11 September 2026.
Who is affected by the ban?
Foreign nationals who were physically present in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the 21 days before their intended entry into the United States are barred from boarding commercial flights bound for US destinations.
The restriction applies regardless of whether a traveller transited through an affected country without disembarking.
American citizens and US nationals who have been in the DRC are required to remain outside the country for a full 21 days before returning to the United States. Those who were present in Uganda or South Sudan — but not in the DRC — within that window are permitted to enter the US, but only through designated airports where enhanced health screening is conducted.
No US cases confirmed
The CDC confirmed that no cases of Ebola disease linked to the current outbreak have been detected in the US. The agency described the overall risk to the American public and to international travellers as low, but said the entry restrictions were necessary to prevent potential importation of the disease.
The outbreak is centred in remote areas of the DRC and is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a distinct strain of the Ebola virus family. The CDC has not indicated when the restrictions are expected to be lifted.
Other stories about the recent Ebola outbreak
- The Democratic Republic of Congo confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in its eastern Ituri province, with 80 deaths recorded.
- US President Donald Trump caused a stir online with his question towards an African reporter about Ebola.
- Cyril Ramaphosa warned that the Ebola outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda could spread further if urgent action was not taken.
Source: Briefly News
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