Africa CDC Opposes US Level 4 Ebola Travel Curbs as Bundibugyo Outbreak Hits 2 Countries
Updated
Updated · africacdc.org · May 19
Africa CDC Opposes US Level 4 Ebola Travel Curbs as Bundibugyo Outbreak Hits 2 Countries
11 articles · Updated · africacdc.org · May 19
Africa CDC urged countries to avoid travel or trade restrictions after the US issued a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory for the DRC and entry curbs tied to travel from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.
The agency said broad border measures are not an effective primary outbreak tool, warning they can fuel fear, hurt economies, disrupt aid and health operations, and push movement onto unmonitored routes.
At least 2 countries are affected in the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, which Africa CDC declared a continental outbreak on May 15 and elevated to a public health emergency of continental security on May 18.
Africa CDC said no licensed vaccines or therapeutics exist for the Bundibugyo strain nearly 20 years after it was identified, and called for more financing, cross-border coordination, diagnostics, sequencing and frontline support.
After two decades, why is there still no licensed vaccine for the deadly Bundibugyo Ebola strain?
Do travel bans protect global health, or do they punish economies and hinder the actual outbreak response?
As global health aid falls, can Africa's push for 'health sovereignty' succeed against threats like Ebola?
Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak Escalates: 300+ Suspected Cases, International Emergency, and Gaps in Vaccine Protection
Overview
As of May 18, 2026, the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak became a severe public health threat, leading the World Health Organization to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and the Africa CDC to declare a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security. These declarations followed a review of epidemiological evidence and operational challenges by the Emergency Consultative Group, which highlighted the urgent need for coordinated action across Africa. The outbreak’s spread between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, worsened by insecurity and cross-border movement, triggered enhanced surveillance, resource mobilization, and collaborative efforts to contain the crisis.