Amid a deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the U.S. Department of State has updated its travel advisories for those African nations, urging Americans not to go there for any reason.
On the State Department's four-level travel advisory system, Uganda and the DRC have both been given Level 4 advisories, indicating "Do Not Travel."
Additionally, Rwanda has been issued a Level 3 advisory ("Reconsider travel"). No cases of Ebola connected to the current outbreak have been reported in Rwanda, though it does border both Uganda and the DRC.
The disease has so far resulted in more than 500 suspected cases and 130 suspected deaths, reports the Washington Post. On Sunday the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern."
An American doctor working for a missionary organization in the DRC has tested positive for the virus and has been evacuated to Germany to receive medical treatment.
No Ebola cases have been confirmed in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the "overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low."
Yesterday the CDC announced that people without U.S. passports will face "entry restrictions" if trying to come into the U.S. after having been in Uganda, the DRC, or South Sudan in the previous 21 days. Additionally, the federal agency said it will carry out enhanced health screening and monitoring to help contain the outbreak.
Though public health officials have expressed concern, it's important to remember that the virus remains rare and is transmitted via close bodily contact. In other words, we're not talking about Covid here.
For more information, consult the websites of the CDC and the WHO.