By Joseph Mary Buwule
The United States government has announced an expanded and coordinated emergency response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with Washington placing the protection of American citizens and global containment efforts at the center of its strategy.
In a media note released on May 19, 2026, by the Office of the Spokesperson, the U.S. Department of State said it is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the lead agency in the American government’s Ebola response, to contain the outbreak and prevent further international spread.
The Department emphasized that its first priority remains the safety of Americans and the American homeland. It revealed that it is coordinating with interagency partners to evacuate any affected American citizens for medical treatment, quarantine, and emergency procedures if necessary.
As part of new containment measures, the United States has implemented CDC Title 42 restrictions barring entry of foreign nationals of any nationality who have traveled to Uganda, the DRC, or South Sudan within the last 21 days. The Department of State has also issued updated Level 4 travel advisories warning American citizens and permanent residents not to travel to the three countries for any reason.
Americans departing the affected region have been advised to strictly observe CDC guidelines on isolation and quarantine.
The media note further disclosed that within hours of confirmation of Ebola cases, the Department activated a dedicated Ebola Response Task Force bringing together experts from the Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD), Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response (DHR), Bureau of Consular Affairs, Bureau of Medical Services, the CDC, and several other interagency partners.
According to the statement, the task force is led by senior officials with direct experience handling previous Ebola outbreaks, including the 2014 and 2018 epidemics, ensuring rapid deployment and experienced leadership.
To strengthen field coordination, the Department is deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to the DRC to support collaboration with local governments and humanitarian agencies. U.S. health experts are also being stationed alongside CDC teams to improve planning, information sharing, and coordinated response operations.
The United States also announced major humanitarian and health support measures aimed at boosting frontline response efforts in the affected countries.
Over the weekend, Washington mobilized an initial 23 million U.S. dollars in bilateral foreign assistance to support surveillance, laboratory testing, risk communication, safe burials, border screening, and clinical case management.
In addition, the U.S. government committed to funding up to 50 Ebola treatment clinics in affected regions of Uganda and the DRC. The facilities are expected to provide emergency Ebola screening, triage, isolation services, and containment operations to help stop the spread of the deadly disease.
Healthcare and humanitarian workers operating on the frontline were assured of continued American support as the Department pledged to mobilize all available resources to assist response teams.
The statement also highlighted efforts to strengthen early detection and prevention measures. The United States has already dispatched emergency personal protective equipment (PPE) from available stockpiles and is supporting health screenings at borders and points of entry.
Despite the tightened travel measures, U.S. embassies in Uganda, the DRC, and South Sudan remain operational and continue offering services to American citizens.
The Department encouraged Americans living abroad or traveling internationally to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates and facilitate emergency communication during crises.
The United States is also engaging international partners, humanitarian organizations, and private companies operating in eastern DRC and across the region to strengthen logistics, supply chains, and operational support for outbreak response activities.
According to the Department of State, cooperation with U.S. and U.S.-aligned companies in eastern DRC is expected to improve outbreak detection and response efforts in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
The statement concluded by reaffirming America’s commitment to working with host governments, international partners, and private sector stakeholders to align response efforts and support critical humanitarian operations.
Under the leadership of the Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy and the Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response, the United States says it is deploying a fully integrated diplomatic, humanitarian, and public health response aimed at containing the Ebola outbreak and saving lives.