Concerns For Ghanaians As US Imposes Travel Ban on Nationals Who Visited 3 African Countries
- The US has imposed a 30-day travel ban due to concerns over the resurgence of the Ebola virus in parts of the African continent
- The new travel restrictions will affect US citizens and non-citizens who visited Uganda, DRC, and South Sudan recently
- Concerns arise as the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws closer for Ghanaians and other African fans planning to travel
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The US government under President Donald Trump has imposed a travel ban on individuals who have visited three African countries in recent weeks.
Source: Getty Images
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced the new 30-day travel ban in a public statement.
The news comes as a concern for Ghanaians and other African nationals looking to visit the US as the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws closer.
Why has US imposed a travel ban?
According to the CDC, the 30-day travel ban has been imposed amid concerns over the resurgence of the Ebola virus, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, across many parts of the African continent.
Recent reports indicated that one American physician who contracted the virus on a missionary trip to the affected region has tested positive.
At least six others are also being monitored due to exposure to the virus.
The ban will remain in effect for 30 days, with the CDC stating that it may adjust public health measures as additional information about the outbreak becomes available.
Who will the US travel ban affect?
The CDC announced that the travel ban applies to US citizens and non-US citizens who travelled to Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan in the 21 days preceding their attempted entry into the United States.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan were already on the list of countries that the US, under President Trump, imposed a full travel ban on in 2025.
However, the new travel restrictions have expanded the scope and will affect individuals who have visited these countries regardless of nationality.
Source: Getty Images
The US government has also issued a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for the DRC.
Speaking to reporters, Satish Pillai, the CDC's Ebola response manager, explained the rationale behind the decision.
"We are doing this to ensure that they are at the level of care that they can receive either treatment or observation that is required."
The Ebola virus, which can be fatal for victims who contract it, causes an extremely high fever that eventually leads to internal bleeding and untimely demise.
The YouTube video detailing the US government's travel bans on the three African countries is below:
Other African countries facing US travel bans
Since President Donald Trump started his second term as US president in January 2025, he has imposed travel bans on several African countries.
Nationals from countries including Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Chad, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, the Republic of Congo, and Equatorial Guinea have been included in the full US travel ban imposed in June 2025.
Citizens from Angola, Benin, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are also prevented from applying for most business and student visas.
US waives visa restrictions on African countries
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US waived visa restrictions on five African countries planning to travel for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The restrictions applied only to fans who purchased valid tickets for the edition being co-hosted in North America and registered through FIFA’s visa facilitation system by April 15, 2026.
Source: YEN.com.gh
