U.S. Expands Ebola Screening to Atlanta Airport Amid African Outbreak

On May 23, 2026, the CDC began enhanced Ebola screening at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for passengers from Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, expanding beyond Washington-Dulles screening that started May 20, 2026. The outbreak involves Bundibugyo Ebola virus, which has no approved vaccines or therapeutics. WHO declared a public health emergency on May 17, 2026.

Atlanta airport screening expansion

• ▪Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport screening expands on screenings currently underway at Washington-Dulles International Airport, which took effect May 20, 2026
• ▪Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport previously conducted enhanced public health entry screenings and had established procedures in place
• ▪On May 23, 2026, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport began enhanced public health screening for passengers traveling from Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan
• ▪The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's enhanced public health entry screening is one component of a layered public health approach that includes overseas exit screening, airline illness reporting, and post-arrival public health monitoring

Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak

• ▪Central Africa has seen an Ebola outbreak spread rapidly caused by a rare species of Ebola virus called Bundibugyo
• ▪The Ebola epidemic originated in Democratic Republic of Congo
• ▪The World Health Organization on May 17, 2026 declared a public health emergency of international concern for the Ebola epidemic
• ▪The Bundibugyo Ebola virus has no approved vaccines or therapeutics

U.S. entry restrictions

• ▪American citizens who had been in Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan could re-enter the United States under the May 18, 2026 order
• ▪A May 22, 2026 Department of Health and Human Services interim final rule invoked Title 42 to prevent lawful permanent residents from entering the United States if they had been in Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within 21 days
• ▪On May 18, 2026, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order suspending entry of foreign nationals who were in Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within 21 days before arriving to the United States

Case numbers in Africa

• ▪On May 23, 2026, Democratic Republic of Congo had 91 confirmed Ebola cases and 10 confirmed deaths
• ▪Uganda confirmed five Ebola cases, including one death

Geographic spread patterns

• ▪One American who had been working in Democratic Republic of Congo was confirmed positive for Ebola and was transferred to Germany for care
• ▪Another American who had high-risk contact with Ebola had been sent to the Czech Republic

CDC risk assessment

• ▪The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assessed the risk of Ebola's spread to the United States as low as of May 19, 2026
• ▪There have been no confirmed Ebola cases in the United States as of May 25, 2026
• ▪The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Health Alert Network issued a May 19, 2026 advisory for American health departments, clinicians and travelers about the Ebola outbreak