US says it is blocking Americans in DR Congo from immediate travel home, citing Ebola

Washington.  The US has implemented restrictions related to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo ​which prevent American citizens and nationals who have been in ‌the African country within a 21-day period from entering the United States via commercial aviation, the State Department said on Wednesday.

.Reuters first ​reported this week that President Donald Trump’s administration was blocking ​American citizens in Congo from traveling to the US ⁠on commercial flights.

“Travelers who have been in the DRC within 21 ​days of their flight will not be allowed to board flights ​with US destinations,” the website of the US embassy in the country said.

“All US citizens and US nationals who have been in the DRC should plan ​to remain outside the DRC for 21 days before entering ​the United States.”

The new restrictions come amid an Ebola outbreak which has spread to ‌multiple ⁠provinces within Congo.

Official Congolese data showed late on Sunday that the number of confirmed Ebola cases across the country had risen to 1,926, including 702 deaths.

Dr. Daniel Jernigan, a former senior US Centers ​for Disease Control ​and Prevention ⁠official who led the US response during the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, said this week that ​using the “do-not-board” policy to prevent US  citizens from returning ​home ⁠when they have little risk of Ebola infection is unprecedented.

“This change in policy risks shifting medical and public-health responsibility to third countries, it ⁠may encourage ​travelers to conceal itineraries or exposures, ​and it will make recruitment of American outbreak responders more difficult,” Jernigan said.