• The US implements airport screenings and travel restrictions due to Ebola outbreak.
• One American has tested positive for Ebola while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• CDC announces the outbreak is currently deemed low risk for the US public.
• New entry rules affect non-US passport holders who traveled to affected regions.
• Health officials report at least 131 deaths linked to the outbreak.

The United States announced on May 18, 2023, that it is enhancing precautions to prevent the spread of Ebola, which includes screening air travelers from outbreak-ridden areas and temporarily suspending visa services. These measures are a response to the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) an international health emergency, according to Lemonde and SCMP.

In a briefing, Satish Pillai, the CDC's Ebola response incident manager, confirmed that one American contracted the virus during their work in the DRC. "The person developed symptoms over the weekend and tested positive late Sunday," Pillai stated. Additionally, the US is working to evacuate six more individuals for health monitoring. Currently, approximately 25 people are stationed at the US field office in the DRC, according to Channel News Asia and Africanews.

The CDC has assessed that the immediate risk to the general US public remains low but will continue to monitor the situation closely, potentially adjusting health measures as necessary. Along with airport screenings, entry restrictions have been introduced for non-US passport holders who have recently traveled to Uganda, DRC, or South Sudan within the last 21 days, as reported by SCMP and Lemonde.

Health officials in Congo have reported at least 131 deaths attributed to the outbreak. The situation has raised alarms as neighboring Uganda has also confirmed a death linked to the outbreak. The US CDC has indicated that they will collaborate with airlines and international health agencies to identify possibly exposed travelers, as detailed by Africanews and Channel News Asia.

Matthew Kavanagh, director of the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Policy and Politics, criticized the US response as "disappointing," suggesting that travel bans could be ineffective. "This outbreak clearly shows that [the administration's strategy] is a failed strategy," Kavanagh remarked, implying that past coordinated responses led to more effective containment efforts, according to SCMP and Channel News Asia.