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The U.S. Government has imposed temporary travel restrictions on American citizens currently in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), citing the worsening Ebola outbreak that has continued to spread across the Central African nation.
The restrictions come as Congo battles one of its most severe Ebola outbreaks in recent years.
Official figures released on Sunday showed that confirmed Ebola cases had climbed to 1,926, with 702 deaths recorded nationwide, according to Reuter.
The outbreak has spread across several provinces, raising concerns among international health authorities over the potential for wider regional transmission.
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What they are saying
According to U.S. officials, American citizens in the DRC, as well as those who have recently departed the country, will be barred from boarding commercial flights to the United States under emergency transportation powers known as Title 49.
The measure places affected travelers on a federal “do-not-board” list until they have spent at least 21 days in a third country outside the DRC before returning to the United States.
Ebola is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or animals. The illness is associated with severe symptoms including high fever, vomiting, diarrhea and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding. Without prompt medical intervention, the disease can be fatal.
The White House said approximately 24 American citizens who had planned to travel from Congo to the United States on Tuesday would be affected by the new restrictions. U.S. officials noted that the State Department would assist stranded Americans during the mandatory waiting period in third countries.
Get up to speed
Earlier on Monday, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signed an order warning of increased Ebola risks, including reports that infections had spread to areas located just a few hours from Kinshasa, the country’s capital and largest city.
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had also disclosed last week that an American humanitarian worker in the DRC tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a less common but potentially deadly variant.
- Separately, German authorities confirmed that an infected American patient was admitted to Frankfurt University Hospital on Monday after being evacuated from Congo for specialist treatment.
The CDC also referenced an earlier case involving another American, Dr. Peter Stafford, who contracted Ebola while serving with the Serge Christian mission organization and was transferred to Germany for medical care in May.
What you should know
The Democratic Republic of Congo declared the outbreak on May 15, and the virus has since spread across multiple provinces, triggering concerns about wider regional transmission. Health authorities have reported a sharp rise in infections and fatalities as response teams race to contain the disease.
- The economic implications are also becoming increasingly significant. Earlier this month, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warned that an uncontrolled Ebola outbreak across Central and East Africa could reduce the region’s economic output by as much as $3.6 billion and eliminate more than 328,000 jobs if the virus spreads beyond its current hotspots.
- According to the UNDP, the outbreak threatens not only public health systems but also trade, cross-border movement, tourism and investor confidence across the region.
Meanwhile, global health authorities have accelerated efforts to identify effective treatments. Patients infected with the Bundibugyo strain are now receiving experimental therapies under a new clinical trial sponsored by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in partnership with Congolese health authorities and international research institutions.
