US blocks citizens in Congo from immediate travel home amid Ebola outbreak

Key facts

• The Trump administration has implemented travel restrictions for U.S. citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Citizens must spend at least 21 days in a third country before traveling to the U.S.
• At least two U.S. citizens infected with Ebola in the DRC have been sent to Germany for treatment.
• The Ebola outbreak in the DRC has reached 1,926 confirmed cases and 702 deaths.

The Trump administration has implemented travel restrictions blocking American citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo from immediate return to the U.S. due to an escalating Ebola outbreak. The order requires citizens to spend at least 21 days in a third country before they can travel home. This policy comes as at least two U.S. citizens infected with Ebola in the DRC have been sent to Germany for treatment rather than being repatriated. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed one U.S. citizen working for a humanitarian organization tested positive for the Bundibugyo Ebola virus. The number of confirmed cases in the DRC outbreak has reached 1,926, with 702 deaths.