Trump Administration Bars U.S. Travelers From Congo Flights Amid Ebola Outbreak

The Trump administration has imposed new travel restrictions on American citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as the country faces a worsening Ebola outbreak, according to a White House official.

Under the new policy, implemented through transportation authority known as Title 49, U.S. citizens currently in Congo or those who have recently departed the country will be placed on a "do-not-board" list for commercial flights bound for the United States. Affected travelers must remain in a third country for at least 21 days before they are permitted to return to the U.S.

The decision comes as Ebola cases continue to rise across the DRC. Official figures released late Sunday showed 1,926 confirmed infections and 702 deaths, highlighting the growing public health crisis. The outbreak has expanded into several provinces, raising concerns about further regional spread.

Ebola is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or animals. Symptoms include high fever, vomiting, severe weakness, and internal and external bleeding.

U.S. officials said approximately two dozen Americans were scheduled to board flights home on Tuesday after traveling to Congo. The State Department will assist those impacted by the travel restrictions during the mandatory waiting period.

The measures follow an order signed Monday by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who cited increasing Ebola risks, including reports of the virus spreading to areas just hours from Congo's capital, Kinshasa.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also confirmed that an American humanitarian worker in Congo tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. German officials said another infected U.S. citizen was admitted to Frankfurt University Hospital for treatment on Monday. The CDC also noted that another American, identified by the Serge Christian mission organization as Dr. Peter Stafford, was previously transported to Germany for medical care after contracting Ebola in Congo.

The latest travel restrictions underscore the U.S. government's efforts to reduce the risk of Ebola transmission while supporting American citizens affected by the expanding outbreak.