In response to a developing flare-up of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus in East and Central Africa, countries like the United States (U.S), South Korea, among others have begun to tighten airport and border screening.
Thailand, South Korea, India, and the United States have announced efforts to institute enhanced Ebola screening at airports and borders, moving swiftly to isolate potential exposures before the virus can cross domestic thresholds.
The measures vary from country to country, but they all focus on travelers who have recently stayed in countries where Ebola cases have been confirmed or are being monitored, mainly the DRC, Uganda, and, depending on national rules, South Sudan.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that on May 17, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the Ebola virus disease outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the DRC and Uganda constituted a public health emergency of international concern.
A few days earlier, the WHO said the outbreak had been confirmed in Ituri, in eastern DRC, before imported cases were reported in Uganda. The organization notes that there is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo virus, unlike the tools available for some other Ebola virus species.
Meanwhile, the U.S is among the countries that have immediately taken steps to tighten border screening over the Ebola outbreak.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had announced that, since May 18, 2026, enhanced screening, traveler monitoring, and entry restriction measures have been applied to reduce the risk of Ebola virus disease being introduced into the United States. These restrictions apply to people who do not hold a U.S. passport and who have been in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan during the previous 21 days.
The U.S. Department of State has also raised its travel advisory for the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Level 4, “Do Not Travel,” because of the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in Ituri province, in addition to the security risks already cited for the country.
The advisory reads in part: “The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to the Health situation
“On May 15, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 2 (Practice Enhanced Precautions) Travel Health Notice for Ebola for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“On May 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
“Outbreaks of serious infectious diseases are common in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for the latest Travel Health Information before you travel.
“The local health infrastructure is inadequate. Health services, hygiene, and quality control do not meet U.S. standards of care. Pharmacies are not well-regulated. Locally available medications may be unsafe.”
Like the U.S, Thailand is among the first countries to tighten airport and border screening over the outbreak of the Ebola virus.
The Thai Ministry of Public Health announced that the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda had been classified as areas infected by a dangerous communicable disease, following the WHO’s emergency declaration. The decision took effect on May 21, 2026
Foreign travelers arriving from these areas must accurately complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, or TDAC, so health authorities can identify and contact the individuals concerned if necessary. Thai nationals, meanwhile, must register their information through the Thai Health Pass. Thai authorities also plan health checks on arrival, including verification of information, temperature screening, and the possibility of follow-up by health services.
The statement reads in part: “The Ministry of Public Health issued a ministerial announcement regarding areas outside the Kingdom of Thailand that are designated as zones affected by dangerous communicable diseases, specifically Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), B.E. 2569 (2026). The announcement designates the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Uganda as zones affected by dangerous communicable diseases under the Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558 (2015), and will take effect from May 21, 2026, onwards.
“The operational guidelines for international disease control checkpoints consist of two key measures: 1. Measures at the point of origin and procedures for airlines: Airlines must require all passengers arriving from Ebola-affected areas, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Uganda, to register in advance. Foreign nationals must register via the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system, while Thai citizens must register via the Thai Health Pass system at the check-in point. Airlines must also send the list of passengers from high-risk countries to the international disease control checkpoint at the destination airport in advance for symptom screening and risk assessment of passengers at the point of origin, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Thai citizens are advised to avoid traveling to affected areas unless necessary and must report to the international disease control checkpoint every time they return to the country. 2. Screening measures at domestic airports: Disease control officers will check the QR code of travelers from affected areas at the arrival gate or at the aircraft door for direct flights from high-risk areas. Travelers from affected areas must present documents to disease control officers before proceeding through immigration. Officers will conduct a temperature check, inquire about their medical history, and record their address and current telephone number in the system. To be used for monitoring symptoms for the full 21 days.”
South Korea has also tightened its health procedures. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), is asking people who have stayed in or transited through an area subject to enhanced quarantine inspection to submit a declaration through Q-CODE or a health declaration form.
Under this alert, the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan are subject to heightened vigilance. Travelers arriving from these countries may therefore face additional health formalities upon arrival in South Korea, in addition to standard immigration checks. South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also raised its travel advisory level for Uganda and referred to tougher restrictions for certain areas of the DRC, including Ituri.
India has issued an official health advisory through the Directorate General of Health Services, which operates under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The document applies to passengers arriving from, or transiting through, Ebola-affected countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan, which are identified as high-risk countries based on the WHO’s updated list.
Affected travelers must immediately report to the Airport Health Officer or health desk before clearing immigration if they have symptoms such as fever, weakness or fatigue, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, unexplained bleeding, or sore throat. The same instruction applies to passengers who have had direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of a suspected or confirmed Ebola patient.
India’s advisory also reminds travelers that anyone who develops these symptoms within 21 days of arrival should seek medical care immediately and inform health authorities of their travel history. Passengers are asked to cooperate with airport health checks and public health measures implemented under the International Health Regulations.
