Ebola outbreak: Canada to bar entry for foreigners who have recently been to Congo

The Canadian government is introducing new temporary border restrictions in response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Effective Monday (July 20), 2026, foreign nationals who have been in the DRC within the previous 21 days will be prohibited from entering Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) announced Sunday (July 19).

An interim order issued under the Aeronautics Act also requires commercial and private air carriers to prevent affected foreign nationals from boarding flights bound for Canada.

The federal government said limiting entry may reduce public health risks while supporting the effectiveness and sustainability of measures used to safely process travellers arriving in Canada, including returning humanitarian workers.

READ MORE: Canada’s Ebola-related border measures take effect

PHAC previously introduced temporary measures under the Quarantine Act on May 30. Those requirements will remain in effect until Aug. 29, 2026.

Officials described the measures as precautionary, noting that the risk to Canadians remains low and no travel-related Ebola cases have been reported in Canada.

Rules unchanged for Canadians 

Canadian citizens, permanent residents and people registered under the Indian Act will remain eligible to enter Canada after travelling in the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan during the previous 21 days.

Those travellers will undergo a health assessment upon arrival and must quarantine for 21 days.

All other requirements established under the previous Order in Council will also remain in place until Aug. 29.

PHAC updated its Level 2 travel health notice for Ebola in the DRC on May 19.

Travellers heading to Uganda are advised to consult the outbreak-monitoring alert included on the government’s Travel Advice and Advisories page.

The federal government is urging Canadians to review the latest travel advice for their destination before departing internationally.

UN warns travel bans can fuel stigma

Canada's new restrictions run counter to guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), which advises against imposing travel or trade restrictions on Congo as authorities work to contain the outbreak.

The UN health agency has warned that such measures can stigmatize affected communities and ultimately make outbreaks more difficult to control.

"People from affected regions and African communities have faced unfair suspicion," the WHO said in a statement last month. "The spread of Ebola is not determined by nationality or ethnicity."

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