The United States has extended restrictions on travellers from Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan for another 30 days over concerns about the risk of Ebola spreading across borders.
In a notice issued on 11 October, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which operates under the Department of Health and Human Services, said the extended suspension would remain in force for 30 days.
The CDC acknowledged Uganda’s success in containing the Ebola outbreak but warned that the risk of the disease spreading from neighbouring DRC remained a concern, particularly in western Uganda and among healthcare workers.
The agency explained that some districts in Uganda receive people travelling from the DRC to seek medical treatment, creating potential exposure risks.
The extension also follows a case reported by Kenya’s Ministry of Health on 6 October involving a person who had travelled from the DRC through Uganda before flying from Kampala to Nairobi on 2 October.
The individual was admitted to hospital and died on 5 October.
Despite citing the case involving a traveller who passed through Uganda, the CDC’s notice did not include Kenya among the countries covered by the extended travel suspension.
The extension means travellers from Uganda remain subject to the US restrictions for a further 30 days, as American health authorities continue to monitor the risk of cross-border Ebola transmission.
