CDC implements Ebola-related travel restrictions into the United States

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on May 18 that it has implemented enhanced travel screening, entry restrictions and other public-health measures to reduce the risk of Ebola entering the United States.

The restrictions apply to non-U.S. passport holders who have been in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo or South Sudan in the previous 21 days, according to the CDC statement. The agency said it is coordinating with airlines, international partners and port-of-entry officials.

CDC said the immediate risk to the general U.S. public remains low.

What changed

Coverage of the move describes the measures as enhanced screening and targeted entry restrictions, while some reports referred to them more broadly as a travel ban. The CDC framed the action as a public-health response to the outbreak in East and Central Africa, not a blanket halt on all travel from the region.

The agency had already said on May 17 that it was mobilizing an international response to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The May 18 statement marked the first confirmation that the travel measures had been put in place.

What to watch

Officials have not said how long the restrictions will remain in effect beyond the initial reporting window, and further operational details may still be announced.