By Admore Mbonda in Kariba
In a sweeping public health move aimed at preventing Ebola from taking hold in the United States, American authorities have announced new restrictions on certain travelers with links to countries battling recent outbreaks.
According to officials, the latest measures focus on people who hold U.S. lawful permanent residence (“green-card” status) and who have travelled recently to parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, or South Sudan. The policy, issued by U.S. authorities on Friday, bars entry for those individuals if their travel to the listed countries occurred within the last three weeks an additional precaution as the threat of Ebola remains elevated in Central and parts of East Africa.
Unlike earlier restrictions that targeted visitors without permanent residency status, the updated order now extends to lawful permanent residents. U.S. citizens, however, are not included in the prohibition.
U.S. health officials said the decision was based on risk assessments prepared by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agencies argued that a targeted entry limitation is necessary to protect public health while screening systems and containment resources are activated and tested at major ports of entry.
The order notes that restricting entry for lawful permanent residents is “comparatively less burdensome” because such travelers are able to maintain closer family and community ties outside the United States than U.S. citizens. Officials did not provide additional details on how exemptions, if any, would be handled beyond the stated exemption for citizens.
Beyond the entry bar, U.S. authorities also expanded enhanced Ebola screening operations at airports handling travellers from the affected regions. In addition to Washington Dulles International Airport, screening will now also be carried out at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
CDC officials cited the complexity of containment efforts, warning that keeping suspected cases isolated and managing quarantine requires specialized facilities resources that remain limited even as health teams prepare for possible escalations.
“Containing quarantinable communicable diseases on US soil is highly resource-intensive, requiring specialised and isolated facilities with limited capacity,” the CDC said in a statement.
The announcement comes as U.S. health services manage ongoing quarantine needs connected to other infectious-disease concerns. Officials said 18 individuals are currently being held in quarantine at the University of Nebraska after being evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was linked to a hantavirus outbreak.
While the quarantine situation is separate from Ebola, it has contributed to the broader climate of readiness and to calls for heightened vigilance at entry points where multiple health threats can converge.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently reaffirmed the administration’s stance that preventing Ebola cases from reaching American soil remains an urgent priority.
“Our No. 1 objective on Ebola has to be we can’t have it affect the United States. We can’t have Ebola cases coming here,” Rubio said.
The travel restrictions on lawful permanent residents are set to remain in effect for an initial period of 30 days, according to the directive.
U.S. officials said the temporary step is intended to buy time supporting surveillance and screening while health authorities work to reduce the risk posed by the continuing Ebola outbreak associated with the rare Bundibugyo strain affecting parts of Central and East Africa.
As the situation develops, officials indicated further adjustments could be made depending on outbreak intensity, screening effectiveness, and the availability of quarantine related resources.
About Author
