The US will introduce a new declaration requirement for passengers travelling on US-bound flights from November 3, requiring them to confirm whether they have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the preceding 21 days.
The measure announced by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will require all passengers, including those transiting through the US, to submit a signed declaration, either digitally or on paper, before boarding. The requirement is part of measures to prevent the importation of Bundibugyo virus disease, a type of Ebola, amid an outbreak centred in the DRC.
The declaration adds to existing US restrictions. The CDC states that travellers, including US citizens, who have been in the DRC within 21 days of departure cannot board commercial flights bound for the US. Travellers who have been in Uganda or South Sudan during the preceding 21 days also face restrictions. Non-US citizens, including US green card holders, are generally prohibited from entering the US while US citizens and nationals must enter through designated airports for health screening.
