- The CDC extended Ebola travel restrictions until September 11, 2026, targeting travelers from three African nations.
- U.S. citizens arriving from DRC must wait 21 days in a third country before boarding commercial flights.
- Travelers from Uganda and South Sudan must enter through four designated U.S. airports for enhanced health screenings.
- The Bundibugyo strain outbreak has caused 2,130 deaths with health officials reaching only 30 percent of cases.
The CDC extended its Ebola entry order on August 12, 2026, for 30 more days and added travel controls for U.S. citizens and nationals recently present in outbreak-affected countries.
The measure remains in force through 4:59 p.m. EDT on September 11, 2026. It continues to suspend entry for covered non-U.S. citizens who were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan during the previous 21 days.
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Americans face a different set of rules. Travelers who were in DRC during that window cannot board commercial flights to the United States.
They must wait 21 days outside DRC before trying to return. The policy does not create a blanket ban on Americans entering the country.
The agency issued the order under Department of Health and Human Services authority and 42 CFR 71.40. The prior renewal took effect July 13, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. EDT and expired August 12, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. EDT.
Americans arriving from Uganda and South Sudan face controlled entry
U.S. citizens and nationals who have been in Uganda or South Sudan within 21 days of arrival must enter through a designated airport. Officials will conduct enhanced screening there.
The four airports are Washington Dulles International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
| Recent travel history | Rule for U.S. citizens and nationals |
|---|---|
| DRC within 21 days of departure | No boarding on commercial flights to the United States |
| Uganda within 21 days of arrival | Entry through a designated airport with enhanced screening |
| South Sudan within 21 days of arrival | Entry through a designated airport with enhanced screening |
| DRC within 21 days of arrival | Initial public health assessment coordinated with federal and local health authorities |
The airport list corresponds to Washington Dulles, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, George Bush Intercontinental, and John F. Kennedy airports. Their codes are IAD, ATL, IAH, and JFK.
An American arriving after recent DRC travel can face an initial public health assessment coordinated with federal and local health authorities. The same 21-day window controls the commercial-flight restriction.
Delta and United have issued travel advisories warning that passengers with recent travel histories in the affected areas may face immediate flight cancellations.
The foreign-national suspension still covers three countries
The order continues to suspend entry for covered non-U.S. citizens who were physically present in DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan during the 21 days before seeking entry. The American rules vary by country.
Aid workers and “infection preventionists” have faced unexpected 21-day stays in third countries before they can fly home to the United States. Those delays can extend travel well beyond the original itinerary.
The Department of State’s Consular Affairs office has advised citizens who need financial assistance for temporary lodging or flight changes in third countries to contact the nearest embassy.
The restrictions apply alongside airline screening and travel planning. A passenger may therefore face a carrier decision before reaching a U.S. airport.
The outbreak began in Ituri and reached Kampala
The agency’s Ebola situation page, updated August 12, 2026, says no Ebola cases linked to the outbreak have been reported in the United States. It advises avoiding all travel to Ituri and Nord-Kivu.
The guidance also advises against nonessential travel to Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces. The outbreak began in February 2026 in Ituri Province.
It later spread to six provinces, including Bas-Uele, and reached Kampala, Uganda’s capital. Regional instability has complicated efforts to contain it.
Rebel violence near the borders and strikes by health workers over unpaid wages have disrupted the response. Dr. Mohamed Janabi, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, said health workers were reaching only about 30% of cases.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo virus, described as a rare strain with no approved vaccines or treatments. It has produced over 4,587 confirmed cases and 2,130 deaths, a fatality rate of approximately 46%.
The WHO declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17, 2026. The outbreak has been described as the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record and the fastest-growing in history.
Health officials say containment is falling behind
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on August 12 that the outbreak could overtake the West African Ebola outbreak of 2014 to 2016, which killed 11,000 people.
“At its current pace, the outbreak is on track to eclipse the West African Ebola outbreak of 2014 to 2016,”
Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC, pointed to gaps in contact tracing during an August 6 briefing.
“Contact tracing is not working. when you have more than 60-70 percent of new cases coming [from outside] the contact list, we cannot say it's working.”
The response has also faced staffing and access problems. Health workers are reaching only about 30% of cases, Janabi said.
Dr. Erica Schwartz became agency director after the Senate confirmed her on August 5, 2026, in a 51-44 vote. She is the first Black woman to lead the agency.
During her confirmation, Schwartz said:
“As CDC director, my sacred responsibility is to provide the American people with public health guidance that is clear, honest and evidence-based. I will never betray the science.”
The order uses the 21-day travel window while officials continue monitoring movement among three countries and multiple provinces. The United States has not reported an outbreak-linked Ebola case, but the entry controls remain active through September 11.
Americans who recently visited DRC must remain outside that country for 21 days before attempting to board a commercial flight to the United States. Travelers coming from Uganda or South Sudan must plan to use one of the four designated airports.
Those delayed abroad can contact the nearest embassy about temporary lodging or changed flights. The current order expires at 4:59 p.m. EDT on September 11, 2026.
