On May 18, 2026, the Trump administration invoked Title 42 of the Public Health Service Act in response to an ongoing outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in East and Central Africa.
As part of the public health law, the CDC, DHS, and other federal agencies implemented enhanced travel screening, entry restrictions, and public health measures. Effective immediately, the CDC will:
- Enhance public health screening and traveler monitoring for individuals arriving from areas affected by Ebola outbreaks in the region, specifically the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, or South Sudan.
- Restrict entry for non-US passport holders who have been in Uganda, the DRC, or South Sudan in the previous 21 days.
- Coordinate with airlines, international partners, and port-of-entry officials to identify and manage travelers who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus.
- Enhance port health protection response activities, contact tracing, laboratory testing capacity, and hospital readiness nationwide.
- Continue deployment of CDC personnel to support outbreak containment efforts in affected regions.
This order will be in effect for 30 days, effective immediately. These restrictions do not apply to American citizens or U.S. service members.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
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