Ebola Response Update – May 19, 2026 

The Department of State, in close coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the lead agency for the U.S. Government response, is actively responding to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

The Department’sfirst priorityis the protection of Americans and the American homeland.The Department is workingwith interagency partners to evacuate, for medical treatment and/or quarantine andprocedures, any affected American citizens. The Department is also workingacross our consular and travel operationstoimplement CDC’sTitle 42 order restricting entry of foreign nationals, of any nationality, who have been to the DRC, Uganda,or South Sudan inthe last 21 days.The Department has issued updated Level 4 travel advisories for all three countries: noAmerican citizens or permanent residents shouldtravel totheDRC,Uganda, orSouth Sudanfor any reason.Americans should remain vigilant of CDC guidelines on isolation and quarantine if they aredepartingthe region.

The Department has also taken the following actions to support the interagency and global response to this outbreak:

A RAPID, INTEGRATED U.S. GOVERNMENT RESPONSE 

Within hours of confirmation of cases, the Department of State activated a dedicated Ebola Response Task Force, integrating expertise across the Department’s Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD), Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response (DHR), Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA), Bureau of Medical Services (MED), the CDC, and additional interagency partners. The Task Force is led by two senior experts with direct experience managing prior Ebola outbreaks, including the 2014 and 2018 responses, ensuring immediate operational readiness and proven leadership. 

DEPLOYMENT OF DISASTER ASSISTANCE RESPONSE TEAM (DART)

To strengthen field coordination, the Department is deploying a DART to the DRC to support on-the-ground coordination with host governments and humanitarian partners. In parallel, U.S. global health experts are being co-located with CDC counterparts to accelerate integrated planning, information-sharing, and response execution across the U.S. Government.

EXPANDED HUMANITARIAN AND HEALTH ASSISTANCE

The Department isleveragingitsenhancedforeignassistancecapacities to ensure theon the groundresponse is fully resourced, rapid, andcoordinatedbetween key global health and humanitarian partners. Healthcare and humanitarian workers heading to the frontline should know that the United Statessupports themand isswitftlymobilizing all available resources toassistfrontline providers and response efforts.

Over the weekend, the Department mobilized an initial $23 million in bilateral foreign assistance to immediately bolster each country’s own response, supporting surveillance, laboratory capacity, risk communication, safe burials, entry and exit screening, and clinical case management. Today, the United States announced a broad commitment to rapidly support the response by funding up to 50 treatment clinics, and associated frontline costs being established in Ebola-affected regions of the DRC and Uganda. These rapidly deployed clinics will enable implementing partners to establish clinical care and containment perimeters around affected areas.  Clinics will provide emergency Ebola screening, triage, and isolation capacity. For more information visit United States To Fund Establishment of up to 50 Ebola Response Clinics.

STRENGTHENING EARLY DETECTION AND RESPONSE CAPACITY 

Additionally, the United States is providing crucial preventative resources to affected countries including assistance with health screenings at borders and points of entry and has shipped initial tranches of emergency personal protection equipment (PPE) from available stockpiles. 

DECISIVE MEASURES TO SAFEGUARD AMERICAN CITIZENS 

Protecting Americans remains the Department’s highest priority. We encourage all Americans traveling or living abroad to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP.state.gov) to receive important safety and security updates, and to make it easier for the U.S. embassy or consulate to contact them in an emergency or during a crisis. U.S. embassies in the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan all remain operational and continue to provide services to American citizens. 

In coordination with CDC and interagency partners, the United States has implemented immediate travel-related and public health measures, including Title 42 authorities and consular actions, while continuing to support international containment efforts.Americans should remain vigilantofCDC guidelines on isolation and quarantine if they aredepartingthe region.

COORDINATED INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR COOPERATION 

The Department of State is working closely with host governments across the region to identify urgent needs and align response efforts. The United States is also engaging international partners and U.S. companies operating in affected areas to strengthen logistics, supply chains, and operational support for the response. 

The Department is coordinating with U.S. andU.S.-alignedcompaniesoperatingin eastern DRC to support outbreak detection and response efforts in these remote areas.

The Departmentwill continue to workclosely with host governments, international partners, and U.S. private sector stakeholders to align response efforts and support criticallogisticsand supply chains. Under the leadership of the GHSD and the DHR, the Department is deploying a fully integrated diplomatic and humanitarian response tocontainthe outbreak and save lives.

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