May 18 - Federal health officials in the United States unveiled steps on Monday intended to lower the risk that Bundibugyo virus disease, a form of Ebola, could be imported from a new outbreak in Central Africa. Authorities emphasized that Americans face a low immediate risk even as they put additional screening and preparedness measures into place.
Under an order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, travelers who have departed from, or were present in, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan during the prior 21 days will be subject to screening and monitoring. The CDC specified that this directive will be active for 30 days.
The agency made clear that the new monitoring requirements do not apply to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or lawful permanent residents. The limited scope of the measure reflects a targeted approach focused on those with recent travel to the three identified countries.
"The risk of Bundibugyo virus disease introduction into the United States is heightened by the virus’s incubation period, which can extend up to 21 days, allowing infected individuals to travel internationally while asymptomatic and therefore unlikely to be detected through routine symptom-based screening measures," the CDC said.
In addition to traveler screening, U.S. officials said they would enhance contact tracing, expand laboratory testing capacity and increase hospital readiness across the country. These actions are intended to improve detection and response capabilities should any imported cases be identified.
The CDC's announcement came as medical teams moved to the frontlines of the outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The World Health Organization has declared the situation a public health emergency, citing concern that the disease could spread further after two cases were confirmed in neighboring Uganda.
The measures announced are temporary and narrow in scope, with federal health authorities emphasizing preparedness and monitoring rather than restrictions on U.S. citizens and lawful residents. Officials have flagged the incubation period of up to 21 days as a primary rationale for the targeted monitoring of travelers from the affected countries.
As the response unfolds, public health entities will continue to focus on surveillance, laboratory capacity and hospital readiness while maintaining that the current immediate risk to the general U.S. population remains low.