The United States Department of Health and Human Services has extended its Ebola travel notice covering the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan for a further 30 days, effective Sunday, October 11, 2026. This decision was made despite Uganda's Director General of Health Services, Charles Olaro, declaring on October 6, 2026, that the country "remains free of Ebola" and maintains "strong surveillance and preparedness measures."
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acknowledged Uganda's successful containment of its own outbreak but maintained that overland movement from the DRC continues to pose a significant cross-border risk. The CDC stated that continued overland travel from DRC poses an ongoing risk of cross-border transmission, particularly among healthcare workers and in western Ugandan districts that serve as points of entry for travellers seeking medical care.
Notably, Kenya was excluded from the extended notice despite confirming its first Bundibugyo Virus Disease case the previous week. The CDC pointed to that incident to illustrate how quickly the virus can spread across borders through transit travel. On October 6, 2026, the Kenya Ministry of Health announced the country's first BVD case and death in an individual who had travelled from DRC to Uganda, flown from Kampala to Nairobi on October 2, and was hospitalised before dying on October 5, 2026.
Inside the DRC, the situation remained a central concern for US health officials. As of October 5, 2026, the Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak continued to spread geographically, with contact tracing coverage dropping to 80%, down from 87% in September and significantly below the 95% threshold considered necessary for effective transmission control.
The extended travel notice drew immediate criticism from regional health bodies and political figures. WHO Regional Director for Africa, Prof Mohamed Yakub Janabi, argued that restricting movement during outbreaks runs counter to scientific evidence and international health frameworks. Prof Janabi said that travel restrictions and border closures have no scientific backing that they are effective in controlling outbreaks.
The disagreement between Washington's cautious public health posture and the WHO's guidance under the International Health Regulations has reignited a longstanding debate over how travel measures should be applied when outbreaks emerge on the African continent. This debate highlights the challenges of balancing public health concerns with the need for international cooperation and evidence-based decision-making.
Earlier, the United States had confirmed that nationals of 19 countries were barred from obtaining US visas following the entry into force of Presidential Proclamation 10998 on 1 January 2026. Despite the full suspension, the State Department confirmed that six groups of foreign nationals may still be issued visas, according to guidance last updated on 2 February 2026.
Key points
- The US has extended its Ebola travel notice for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan for an additional 30 days due to ongoing cross-border transmission risks.
- The CDC maintains that overland movement from the DRC poses a significant cross-border risk, despite Uganda's successful containment of its own outbreak.
- The extended travel notice has drawn criticism from regional health bodies and political figures, who argue that travel restrictions have no scientific backing in controlling outbreaks.
