United States Responds to Ebola Outbreak in Africa

The Department of State is coordinating a comprehensive response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. By working to contain the outbreak before it reaches American shores, the United States is protecting the health of Americans at home and abroad.

On May 15, 2026, within 24 hours of learning of the confirmed cases, the Department leveraged its outbreak response and humanitarian assistance capabilities to establish an interagency coordination cell and incident management system in Washington, D.C. Embassies in the DRC, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda have joined this group and established monitoring groups to track developments and communicate with American citizens in the region. The Department is convening a daily leadership-level meeting to ensure the response remains a top priority.

Our first goal has been to ensure the safety of Americans abroad and the protection of the American homeland. The Department's coordination cell worked closely to update the Department's travel advisories to reflect circumstances on the ground and provide American citizens with travel risk information and guidance. The Department also worked closely with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on issuing the May 18, 2026 Title 42 order prohibiting travel to the United States for foreign nationals who have visited the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan within the last 21 days. The Department of State is also working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on implementing this order and any future CDC quarantine and isolation guidance world-wide. We are also working closely with CDC and the U.S. military on potential repatriation of affected Americans, based on assessed exposure and health needs.

Within 48 hours, the Department activated a response plan and mobilized an initial $13 million in foreign assistance for immediate response efforts. This funding bolsters each country's own response, supporting surveillance, laboratory capacity, risk communication, safe burials, entry and exit screening, and clinical case management. The Department is preparing to announce additional bilateral funding for both outbreak response and humanitarian assistance, as it continues to gain additional information on the scope of the outbreak. This additional funding builds on U.S. investments in disease surveillance and outbreak detection, and response efforts made through bilateral health MOUs signed with both the DRC and Uganda under the America First Global Health Strategy.

In addition, we are leveraging the Department's historic investment in OCHA pooled funds for the DRC and Uganda to ensure the rapid deployment of additional humanitarian assistance on the ground and close coordination with the UN system. Department leadership has spoken with UN Secretariat Leadership and local Humanitarian/Resident coordinators for affected countries. The Department is leading donor coordination efforts in regional capitals, working closely with the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other international partners to ensure a coordinated and effective response. Our May 14 announcement of $1.8 billion in additional funding for OCHA pooled funds includes $250 million in funding for the DRC and Uganda, which the Department is prioritizing for imminent funding actions to properly resource the humanitarian and outbreak response in both countries.

American leadership remains indispensable in confronting global health threats. The United States will continue to protect American citizens, support affected communities, and marshal international action to contain this outbreak quickly, decisively, and effectively.

Tags