Ahead of World Cup, U.S. Urges European Nations to Impose Ebola Travel Restrictions

(CNA, Washington, 9th, comprehensive external dispatch) The Trump administration has called on European countries to emulate the United States by imposing travel restrictions on individuals who have recently traveled to Central African nations affected by the Ebola outbreak, sources and officials said today, in the hope of preventing the virus from spreading during the FIFA World Cup.

A European Union diplomat based in Africa and another informed source said the United States issued a demarche, a formal statement of diplomatic concern, on June 1, urging European countries to implement epidemic-related travel restrictions.

Reuters reported that the diplomat said EU member states have not yet responded.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order last month banning non-U.S. citizens who have traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past 21 days from entering the United States. Americans have been told to undergo screening at designated airports.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the Ebola virus must not be allowed to enter the United States, and the government's efforts are focused on keeping anyone who may have been exposed to the virus overseas, despite the U.S. having facilities capable of treating Ebola cases and containing its spread.

A State Department official said the travel restrictions, combined with U.S. funding commitments for the Ebola response, show that Washington has "stepped up" to protect the American people from the Bundibugyo virus strain, which the World Health Organization (WHO) had previously declared an international public health emergency.

"Other countries must do their part to ensure the outbreak does not spread further," said the official, who commented on condition of anonymity. "Action is needed now, including financial contributions and common-sense restrictions on travel from affected areas."

"We are engaging diplomatically with countries around the world to coordinate our approaches to protecting our citizens, including the millions of tourists, fans, athletes, and visitors expected during the FIFA World Cup."

The Democratic Republic of Congo announced today that confirmed Ebola cases have climbed to nearly 600, which has raised awareness among the local population about the importance of safety measures.

This outbreak of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus strain was announced on May 15, but officials later said it had been spreading silently for weeks undetected, leaving health authorities behind the curve and struggling to contain it.

This Ebola outbreak, one of the largest in global history, is currently spreading in three provinces long plagued by armed conflict: Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu.

In its latest statement on the social platform X, the Congolese government said the number of confirmed Ebola cases has increased to 598, including 115 deaths.