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US races to contain Ebola outbreak
The US Department of State said it moved quickly after learning of confirmed Ebola cases in the region earlier this month.
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IANS - Tue, 19, May 2026
- 04:06 EDT
- 12
Representative image / REUTERS/Emily Elconin
The United States announced a sweeping diplomatic, humanitarian and public health response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, mobilising emergency funding, tightening travel restrictions and coordinating with international partners to contain the deadly disease before it spreads further.
In a media note, the US Department of State said it moved quickly after learning of confirmed Ebola cases in the region earlier this month.
“By working to contain the outbreak before it reaches American shores, the United States is protecting the health of Americans at home and abroad,” the Department said.
According to the State Department, an interagency coordination cell and incident management system was established in Washington within 24 hours of confirmation of the cases on May 15.
American embassies in the DRC, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda have also formed monitoring groups to track developments and communicate with US citizens in the region.
“The Department is convening a daily leadership-level meeting to ensure the response remains a top priority,” the statement said.
The Biden administration’s immediate focus, officials said, is to protect Americans overseas and prevent the outbreak from reaching the United States.
The State Department said it worked closely with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on a Title 42 order issued on May 18 prohibiting travel to the United States for foreign nationals who have visited the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan within the previous 21 days.
The Department said it is also coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security on implementing the order globally, along with any quarantine and isolation guidance issued by the CDC.
Officials added that the United States is working with the CDC and the U.S. military on the “potential repatriation of affected Americans, based on assessed exposure and health needs”.
Within 48 hours of activating its response plan, Washington mobilised an initial $13 million in foreign assistance for emergency outbreak efforts.
The funding will support surveillance systems, laboratory capacity, risk communication, safe burials, border screening and clinical case management in affected countries.
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The State Department said additional bilateral assistance for outbreak response and humanitarian support is being prepared as officials gain a clearer understanding of the scale of the crisis.
“This additional funding builds on US 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,” the statement said.
Washington also said it is leveraging investments in United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) pooled funds to speed up humanitarian assistance and coordinate with the UN system.
Senior State Department officials have already spoken with UN Secretariat leadership and humanitarian coordinators in affected countries.
The Department said it is leading donor coordination efforts with the European Union, the United Kingdom and other international partners to ensure what it described as a “coordinated and effective response”.
The statement noted that the US announcement on May 14 of $1.8 billion in additional funding for OCHA pooled funds includes $250 million earmarked for the DRC and Uganda.
Health experts have long warned that Ebola outbreaks in Central and East Africa pose a major global health risk because of porous borders, fragile healthcare systems and limited medical infrastructure in conflict-hit regions. Previous outbreaks in the DRC have killed thousands and triggered large-scale international emergency operations.
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