U.S. Expands Ebola Airport Screening to Atlanta as DRC Outbreak Grows
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded Ebola airport screening to a second major gateway, CNBC reported Saturday, adding Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to the country’s enhanced entry monitoring network.
The move comes as the Bundibugyo strain of the virus continues to spread across the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the public health response escalating rapidly in recent days.
A Second Airport Joins the Screening Network
Until this week, Washington Dulles International Airport was the sole designated site for Ebola airport screening of travelers returning from the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan. Federal health officials said Hartsfield-Jackson was selected partly because the facility already has established procedures for handling enhanced health checks. The airport has previously been used in similar screening efforts, making the operational ramp-up more straightforward.
The CDC said its broader Ebola containment strategy extends well beyond the airport check-in line. Officials described a layered approach that includes health assessments before passengers depart overseas, illness reporting requirements for airlines mid-flight, and ongoing monitoring of travelers after they land.
Background: A Worsening Outbreak in Central Africa
The World Health Organization has confirmed 82 cases of Ebola in the DRC linked to the current Bundibugyo strain outbreak. Seven of those cases resulted in confirmed deaths. More alarming, however, are the suspected figures: nearly 750 cases under investigation and 177 suspected fatalities, suggesting the confirmed toll may represent only a fraction of actual transmission.
The Bundibugyo strain was first identified in Uganda in 2007 and is considered less lethal than the Zaire strain responsible for the devastating 2014-2016 West African epidemic, though outbreaks still carry significant mortality risk.
Also Read: What Is the Bundibugyo Strain of Ebola?
Travel Restrictions Tighten Alongside Health Measures
Earlier this week, the Trump administration moved beyond screening alone. Non-citizens who had recently traveled to the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan were barred from entering the United States, a sweeping restriction pairing public health logic with existing immigration authority.
The dual-track approach, combining entry bans with expanded airport screening, reflects growing anxiety in Washington over the outbreak’s trajectory. Health officials have not indicated whether additional airports may be designated in the coming days, but the infrastructure is clearly being built out at pace.
Read Next: Trump Travel Ban Targets DRC, Uganda and South Sudan Travelers
