CDC Maintains U.S. Travel and Monitoring Measures Amid Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa

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Federal health officials continue enhanced traveler assessments, post-arrival monitoring and targeted entry restrictions as an Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus continues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

The United States is maintaining enhanced public-health measures tied to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, including traveler assessments, post-arrival monitoring and targeted entry restrictions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert about an outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus, a species of Ebola virus. The Democratic Republic of the Congo confirmed the outbreak in Ituri Province on May 15, 2026.

The measures are intended to reduce the chance that the disease is introduced into the United States while the outbreak continues overseas. The CDC says the risk of widespread Ebola transmission in the United States remains low because of the country’s surveillance and response capacity.

What the travel measures require

CDC guidance calls for public-health assessment and management of travelers arriving from affected countries. Depending on the resources of the jurisdiction, monitoring may be conducted remotely or in person.

Potentially exposed travelers are monitored for 21 days after leaving affected areas. The period reflects the time during which public-health officials are watching for symptoms and determining whether additional steps are needed.

The guidance is directed at travelers as well as clinicians, laboratories, public-health officials and health departments. State and local health departments are involved in carrying out monitoring and coordinating with federal public-health operations.

The approach does not mean that Ebola is circulating broadly in the United States. Instead, it uses screening, follow-up and coordination to identify potential infections connected to travel before they can create wider public-health risks.

Targeted entry restriction

On May 18, the CDC issued an order suspending entry into the United States for certain foreign nationals who had recently been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or South Sudan.

The order responds to the Ebola outbreak and the risk of introduction into the United States. It does not describe the restriction as applying to every traveler from those countries; its scope covers specified foreign nationals and recent travel circumstances.

The Department of Homeland Security is among the federal entities involved in border-health operations connected to the measures. The CDC’s guidance also gives health officials and laboratories instructions for responding to travelers who could have been exposed.

Outbreak status and next steps

As of June 15, the CDC order reported 837 confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo across 31 health zones. The CDC described the outbreak as the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak since 1976.

The 837-case figure is tied to June 15 and should not be read as a later or continuously updated total. The available CDC materials identify the date associated with that count.

The immediate next step for U.S. travelers and public-health agencies is continued implementation of the assessment and monitoring guidance. Travelers who may have been exposed can remain under observation for up to 21 days after departure from affected areas, with the method of monitoring determined by the relevant jurisdiction.

For federal and state officials, the ongoing response centers on surveillance, border-health coordination, laboratory readiness and rapid public-health follow-up. The CDC’s position is that these measures are designed to prevent importation and limit the possibility of transmission while the outbreak remains concentrated in Central Africa.

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