US Issues Travel Alerts for DRC, Uganda Amid Ebola Outbreak

The US Department of State issued a level 4 alert for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, or Uganda, urging Americans not to travel to either of these countries for any reason, considering the Ebola outbreak. For Rwanda, the department issued a level 3 alert asking Americans to reconsider traveling. The travel alerts are in response to the CDC and WHO's declaration on recent Ebola outbreak. "Medical services in South Sudan are extremely limited. Adequate medical treatment, as well as access to routine an emergency procedures, is often unavailable, and even minor health issues could require medical evacuation. All medical services, including medical evacuation, are at your expense. If you purchase additional medical insurance, be sure to keep records of all medical services paid for and provided," the US wrote in the advisory for South Sudan. Ebola is a rare, severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever illness which is transmitted through direct contact with infected persons or their bodily fluids. Dr Peter Stafford, a US doctor, has tested positive for Ebola as he and his wife Dr Rebekah Stafford were treating patients during the outbreak in DRC. The couple's four children are also being monitored for symptoms. The couple moved to Africa in 2019. As of Tuesday, there have been 131 deaths linked to the current outbreak. The US doctor is being treated at a hospital in Germany as US government's request. "Arrangements are currently being made to admit and treat the patient in Germany," Germany's Federal Ministry of Health said. "For the management and care of patients with diseases caused by highly pathogenic pathogens, there is a nationwide network of experts in Germany," the ministry said. The CDC issued a new order on Monday blocking foreign travellers from entering the US if they have visited a country affected by the outbreak in the past 21 days, including DR Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. The agency invoked Title 42, a law that temporarily bans noncitizens from coming to the US for public health reasons. President Donald Trump said on Monday he was "concerned" by the outbreak in DR Congo, but added he believed it had not spread to the US.