Ebola screening – Starting with flights departing after 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 20, the U.S. will require passengers recently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan to land at Washington Dulles International Airport for enhanced CDC and DHS screening amid
By late on May 20, some travelers returning from parts of Central and East Africa will face an unexpected detour: Washington Dulles International Airport.
A Department of Homeland Security document scheduled to be published in the Federal Register says that all flights carrying passengers who have recently been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Uganda. or South Sudan will be required to land at Dulles. There, federal officials are concentrating enhanced public health screening measures in response to an Ebola outbreak in the region.
The restrictions apply to flights departing after 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 20 and will remain in effect until further notice, according to DHS. The trigger for the added scrutiny came after health officials confirmed an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus in northeastern Congo on May 15.
As of May 17, Congo had reported 12 confirmed cases, 336 suspected cases, and 88 deaths, the document says. Uganda has also reported imported cases, while South Sudan is considered at high risk because of its proximity to affected areas and limited health care infrastructure.
The CDC said there are no confirmed cases of Ebola in the U.S. as of May 19, and that the overall risk to the American public “remains low.” Still, the federal screening plan is built around preventing the disease from reaching U.S. soil.
Why Dulles is being singled out is straightforward in the DHS filing: directing affected passengers to a single airport lets the government focus medical and public health resources in one place. With Dulles near Washington, DC, DHS and CDC officials can conduct enhanced screening and monitoring there.
The rule applies to anyone who has departed from or been physically present in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within 21 days of entering or attempting to enter the U.S., regardless of nationality. That includes American citizens returning home. Crew members and cargo-only flights are exempt.
The timing of the restriction lands in a narrow window that travelers can’t ignore—after May 20 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, departures from relevant regions that carry passengers recently in those countries will funnel them to Dulles. The government’s choice of a single U.S. gateway reflects a practical pressure point: if public health teams need to look closely. they want everyone they’re looking for in the same place.
Washington Dulles DHS CDC Ebola Bundibugyo virus Democratic Republic of the Congo Uganda South Sudan Federal Register enhanced screening