The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Homeland Security have announced enhanced travel screening, entry restrictions and additional public health measures aimed at preventing Ebola virus disease from entering the United States amid ongoing outbreaks in East and Central Africa.
According to the CDC, the measures were introduced on May 18 as health officials respond to Ebola outbreaks affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
“To date, no Ebola cases associated with this outbreak have been reported in the United States, and the risk to the general public remains low,” the CDC said.
Health authorities in the DRC and Uganda reported that, as of May 25, the DRC had recorded 906 suspected cases, 105 confirmed cases, 223 suspected deaths and 10 confirmed deaths linked to the outbreak. Uganda reported seven confirmed cases and one confirmed death.
The CDC said the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, which was identified after a cluster of severe illnesses among healthcare workers in northeastern DRC earlier this month.
Officials noted there is currently no vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain and treatment is limited to supportive care.
Under the new U.S. measures, affected air passengers traveling from the DRC, South Sudan and Uganda will be rerouted to arrive only through Washington Dulles International Airport and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for enhanced screening procedures.
The CDC also confirmed that the United States has imposed entry restrictions on non-U.S. passport holders who have been in Uganda, the DRC or South Sudan within the previous 21 days.
Additional measures include expanded traveler monitoring, coordination with airlines and international partners, increased contact tracing and strengthened hospital readiness nationwide.
The agency said an American healthcare worker exposed while caring for Ebola patients in the DRC tested positive for Ebola Bundibugyo disease on May 17 and was transported to Germany for treatment.
High-risk contacts linked to the exposure were also relocated to Germany and the Czech Republic.
The CDC said it continues to work with international partners, health ministries and U.S. agencies on disease tracking, laboratory testing, infection prevention efforts and outbreak containment.
“This is a rapidly evolving situation, and case counts are subject to change,” the CDC warned.