The United States has temporarily tightened travel rules for people who have recently visited Uganda, South Sudan or the Democratic Republic of Congo as authorities seek to reduce the risk of Ebola entering the country.
Under new guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US citizens and nationals who have been in Uganda or South Sudan within 21 days of arriving in the United States will be required to enter through designated airports where public health screening is available.
The requirement also applies to passengers who only transited through Uganda or South Sudan while making a connecting flight.
Stricter measures apply to travellers who have recently been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where an Ebola outbreak has been spreading.
The CDC said travellers, including US citizens and nationals, who have been in DRC during the 21 days before their planned departure will not be permitted to board commercial flights bound for the United States.
They will be required to remain outside the country until 21 days have passed since they left DRC.
People who have visited provinces affected by the Ebola outbreak could also face additional restrictions imposed by local authorities before being allowed to leave DRC, according to the CDC.
Passengers who show symptoms or are suspected of having Ebola will be transferred to a hospital for medical assessment, isolation and treatment.
The measures form part of US public health protocols aimed at identifying potential Ebola cases among travellers arriving from outbreak-affected regions.