LSHTM expert says broad travel restrictions shift focus from supporting communities and wider risk to travelers remains low
The World Health Organization has indicated that the current Ebola epidemic, concentrated in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, may be spreading more rapidly than previous outbreaks.
As of 28 May 2026, there have been over 1,000 suspected cases and over 240 suspected deaths from the illness in the region. On 27 May 2026 the Ugandan government announced it would temporarily close the border with DRC, following seven cases detected in Uganda and one death.
Experts at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) have explained that although this is a serious outbreak that requires urgent public health action, there is currently no evidence that it poses a significant risk to wider countries. Despite this, over the past week countries including Canada and the United States have introduced travel restrictions for passengers travelling from countries with known cases.
Below, Associate Professor Damien Tully, an expert in the evolution and spread of infectious diseases at the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (MRC/UVRI and LSHTM) Uganda Research Unit, helps answer common questions around what travel restrictions can mean for travellers and why they are not the most effective way at supporting countries to respond to outbreaks.
Is it safe to travel given the current Ebola outbreak?
The risk of transmission from the current Ebola outbreak while travelling between non-affected countries remains extremely low.
Infections such as flu, COVID-19 and measles spread far more easily than Ebola, as they can be spread before symptoms develop. People who become unwell with Ebola are often too unwell to travel once their symptoms become severe enough to pose as an infection risk.
For this reason, the World Health Organization and other public health experts generally advise against blanket travel bans to and from affected countries, particularly as air transport is not considered a high risk means of onwards spread.
How can travel restrictions introduced during outbreaks affect travellers?
Travel restrictions introduced during outbreaks vary from country to country.
Affected countries often increase their level of health screening for people looking to travel out of the area, which can include questionnaires, recording previous travel history, temperature checks and symptom screening.
As has happened with the current outbreak, countries who are not directly affected can also impose their own travel restrictions for those who may be entering from the affected area. This means travellers may undergo similar tests on arrival.
Have travel restrictions been useful in previous outbreaks?
Evidence shows that travel restrictions may delay the importation of some cases but on their own, they are rarely enough to stop outbreaks. One of the most important lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks is that they are controlled through trust, surveillance and rapid public health action, rather than fear or border closures.
While some countries may introduce travel restrictions as a precautionary measure, they can divert attention and vital resources away from outbreak-control efforts by disrupting movement of healthcare workers, medical supplies, humanitarian aid and surveillance systems. They can also discourage transparent reporting of symptoms, disrupt food supply and create further distrust among communities.
The Ebola virus has an incubation period of up to 21 days, meaning someone exposed in the affected region may pass through travel screening without symptoms and only become unwell weeks later. The key measures are rapid identification of cases, isolation of infected individuals, tracing and monitoring contacts, infection prevention in healthcare settings, safe burial practices, and supportive clinical care or treatment.
International solidarity and cooperation are essential to support affected countries and communities rapidly, strengthen outbreak response efforts, and reduce the risk of wider international spread. It is in everyone's interest to respond collectively and early.
When can travel restrictions be necessary?
Targeted restrictions can be justified for confirmed or suspected cases, or for those who may be considered high-risk such as close contacts of existing cases. The key is that restrictions should be proportionate and implemented in a way that continues to support affected communities.
What should I do if I've travelled to the affected region and am worried I may be unwell?
Anyone in the affected region, or who has travelled from an affected area, should follow local public health advice and monitor for symptoms for 21 days after potential exposure. Ebola symptoms can often begin suddenly with flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and sore throat. As the illness progresses, other symptoms may include severe diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
If you may have been in close contact with someone with suspected Ebola virus disease and develop symptoms, you should seek medical advice immediately and avoid close contact with others.
