Trump Administration Restricts US Arrivals from Congo Over Ebola Concerns

The administration of US President Donald Trump has introduced restrictions preventing US citizens from returning to the United States on civilian flights directly from the Democratic Republic of Congo because of the ongoing Ebola outbreak, Reuters reported, citing a White House official.

The measure applies to American citizens currently in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as those who have recently visited the country. Under the new rules, they will not be allowed to board flights bound for the United States unless they have first spent at least 21 days in another country, allowing the full Ebola incubation period to pass.

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have confirmed 1,926 Ebola cases since the start of the outbreak, with 702 deaths recorded, according to official figures released on Sunday. The epidemic has raised concerns over the possibility of further international spread of the virus.

A White House official said that around 20 US citizens were expected to travel from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the United States on Monday. The State Department will assist those affected by the restrictions and provide support during the required three-week waiting period.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday that an American citizen working for an aid organization in the Democratic Republic of Congo had tested positive for Ebola. The case was the first known infection involving a US national linked to the current outbreak.

Another US citizen who contracted Ebola while in the Democratic Republic of Congo was hospitalized on Monday at University Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. A third American citizen infected with the virus had previously received treatment at the same hospital in May.

The restrictions come as US authorities seek to limit potential exposure to Ebola while continuing to provide assistance to affected American citizens and monitor the situation in the outbreak zone. “The State Department will provide support” to those impacted by the new measures, the White House official said.