The Trump administration has announced restrictions preventing American citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from boarding commercial flights to the United States amidst a growing Ebola outbreak.
A White House official said on Monday that the measure was introduced under a transportation authority known as Title 49. Under the order, U.S. citizens currently in DR Congo, as well as those who have recently departed the country, will be placed on a “do-not-board” list until they have spent at least 21 days in a third country.
The restriction is intended to reduce the risk of Ebola transmission to the United States while allowing health officials to monitor individuals who may have been exposed to the virus.
The travel restrictions come as DR Congo faces an expanding Ebola outbreak that has spread across several provinces.
Official figures released late on Sunday showed that the country had recorded 1,926 confirmed Ebola cases, including 702 deaths. By Tuesdsay, these figures rose to 1,963 confirmed cases and 719 deaths.
The outbreak has raised international concerns due to the virus’s high fatality rate and ability to spread rapidly through close contact.
Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected people or animals. Symptoms can include a high fever, vomiting, severe weakness, and internal or external bleeding.
According to a U.S. official, around two dozen Americans who had travelled to DR Congo were expected to board flights back to the United States on Tuesday. These individuals will now be subject to the temporary travel restrictions.
The official said the U.S. State Department would provide assistance to affected citizens during the 21-day waiting period.
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signed an order on Monday citing rising Ebola concerns, including reports that the virus had spread to areas only a few hours away from the country's capital, Kinshasa.
The decision follows increased monitoring by American health authorities after cases involving U.S. citizens working in DR Congo.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on Friday that an American humanitarian worker, in the country, had tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
One U.S. citizen was admitted to Frankfurt University Hospital in Germany on Monday for medical care, according to officials.
Another American, identified by the Serge Christian mission organisation as Dr Peter Stafford, also contracted Ebola and was transferred to Germany for treatment. The CDC had previously confirmed his case in May.
Health authorities and international organisations continue to monitor the situation as efforts focus on containing the spread of the virus, supporting affected communities, and protecting healthcare workers.
The latest travel restrictions highlight the challenges governments face in balancing public health protection with the movement rights of citizens during international disease outbreaks.
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), ap...
The leader of Yemen's Saudi-backed government announced the beginning of a major military operation against...
A committee overseeing the Mecca defence pact between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will meet in Riyadh on Monday, 5 O...
The co-pilot of Israel bound flydubai flight attempted to carry out a “terrorist attack” with an axe during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday.
Hammam al-Hammami, the Flydubai co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain of an Israel-bound flight on Wednesday in a suspected terrorist attack, was banned from flying by Oman over concerns about his radical views, U.S. media reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Two Iranian nationals have been charged in Britain with preparing a suspected terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community in northern England, police said on Friday (2 October).
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
A major bridge across the Dnipro river in Kyiv was hit in a Russian air attack on Saturday, the city's mayor, Vitali Klitschko said, as strikes on the capital's infrastructure continue.
A committee overseeing the Mecca defence pact between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will meet in Riyadh on Monday, 5 October, to discuss regional developments and the alliance’s institutionalisation, Türkiye's foreign ministry said.
U.S. President Donald Trump has appointed Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to lead the administration’s latest effort to shape policy on artificial intelligence (AI), according to the Wall Street Journal.
Brazilians are voting on Sunday (04 October) in the first round of a closely contested general election, following a campaign shaped by corruption scandals, economic concerns and accusations of foreign interference.
The sound of air raid sirens and explosions rang out in Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Sunday (4 October) as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived for a visit to show support for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid escalating Russian attacks.
An alleged 2024 rape case involving seven former members of Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity has been reopened after the alleged victim, known anonymously as Jane Doe in court documents, filed a civil lawsuit accusing the men of drugging and gang-raping her.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment