CDC Extends Entry Ban on Aliens From Ebola-Affected Countries

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new 30-day order continuing the suspension of the right to introduce “covered aliens” into the United States to protect public health from the ongoing Bundibugyo virus disease (Ebola) outbreak. Signed by Admiral Brian Christine, Assistant Secretary for Health and head of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps, the order took effect at 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, September 11, 2026, and remains in force through 4:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday, October 11, 2026. It was published in the Federal Register, Vol. 91, No. 178, of Wednesday, September 16, 2026, under Docket No. CDC–2026–0892 (FR Doc. 2026–18948).

Legal basis and scope

The order is issued under Sections 362 and 365 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 U.S.C. 265 and 268) and the implementing regulations at 42 CFR part 71, which authorize the CDC Director to suspend the introduction of persons when a quarantinable communicable disease in a foreign country creates a serious danger of introduction into the United States. Although the order is not a rule subject to notice and comment under the Administrative Procedure Act and takes effect immediately, the CDC is running a simultaneous 15-day comment period so that public input can inform the forthcoming health risk assessment. Written comments must be received on or before October 1, 2026.

The order applies to persons who departed from, or were otherwise present within, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, or South Sudan during the last 21 days, regardless of country of origin, including lawful permanent residents. It does not apply to:

• U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals;
• Members of the U.S. armed forces and associated personnel, U.S. government personnel serving overseas, and their spouses and children;
• Persons excepted by a customs officer, with supervisory approval, based on the totality of circumstances (law enforcement, public safety, humanitarian, and public health interests);
• Persons permitted to enter based on an exception provisionally granted by the CDC, confirmed by a public health assessment at entry under a DHS-approved process.

Outbreak background

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, was first detected in the DRC and Uganda on May 17, 2026. It is now the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in DRC history and the second largest on record, centered in eastern DRC’s Ituri Province and expanding into North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Tshopo, and Bas-Uele provinces. As of September 9, 2026, the DRC reported 6,779 confirmed cases and 3,267 deaths across 61 health zones, up from 4,318 cases and 2,011 deaths on August 9. Uganda reported 20 confirmed cases and two confirmed deaths, with the last confirmed case on June 21, 2026; South Sudan has reported no confirmed cases but is considered high risk due to its border with affected areas.

The CDC has escalated travel health notices for the region, including a Level 4 (avoid all travel) notice for Ituri and North Kivu Provinces. The order is paired with DHS arrival restrictions redirecting travelers to specific U.S. airports, including John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

Response to comments and impact

The CDC received three comments on the previous August 12, 2026 order, all urging continued monitoring and risk-based approaches. The agency declined to adopt narrower, individualized exposure assessments, arguing that a generally applicable threshold based on presence in a designated country is more protective and more feasible to implement given the volume of travelers and resource constraints. It also declined to categorically exclude airside transit passengers, noting that infected persons can travel internationally during the incubation period before symptoms appear.

The order is temporary and subject to continuing reassessment, with the CDC evaluating epidemiological conditions, the risk of importation, and the effectiveness of mitigation measures. By limiting the number of potentially exposed travelers entering through major U.S. ports of entry, federal, state, and local authorities can concentrate finite surveillance, screening, contact tracing, and quarantine resources on returning U.S. citizens and nationals, including those who worked in the outbreak areas.

Source: Federal Register, Vol. 91, No. 178, September 16, 2026, Notices, p. 58673 (official reference: FR Doc. 2026–18948, Docket CDC–2026–0892).