The Indian government has urged its citizens to avoid non-essential trips to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan because of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa. The Health Ministry issued the advisory on Saturday, May 23, 2026, after the World Health Organization declared the situation a global public health emergency. Earlier, the central Africa outbreak had already been classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. National risk in the DRC was rated very high and regional risk high, while the global risk stayed low. The current Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccines or treatments, so rapid public health measures are required. By May 23 the death toll from this strain reached 216, with 968 suspected and confirmed cases reported. The Directorate General of Health Services has introduced strict screening at major entry points, including Delhi airport. Travelers arriving from or passing through the affected countries face targeted checks. Airlines on these routes must make in-flight health announcements and hand out self-declaration forms. Passengers showing symptoms or reporting contact with suspected cases must inform the airport health officer before immigration. Thermal screening and visual monitoring operate around the clock at entry points. Isolation areas and rapid-response ambulances are ready to move symptomatic people to designated hospitals. All passengers from the listed countries must monitor their health for 21 days and seek care immediately if symptoms appear, while reporting their travel history. The WHO has previously labeled major Ebola outbreaks as public health emergencies of international concern. Control depends on fast surveillance, contact tracing and community involvement. Approved treatments exist only for the Zaire strain; no medical countermeasures have been authorized for the Bundibugyo strain.
