The US has imposed fresh travel restrictions linked to the Ebola outbreak in Central and East Africa, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the WHO of delayed action and criticised its handling of Covid-19.
Marco Rubio has criticised the World Health Organization over its handling of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, accusing the agency of reacting too slowly and repeating failures seen during the Covid-19 pandemic.
JUST IN: Secretary of State Marco Rubio slams the World Health Organization for "miserably" failing during the COVID-19 pandemic and covering for China, warning that the U.S. is aggressively restricting travel to block a surging Ebola outbreak from reaching American soil.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 21, 2026
"The… pic.twitter.com/d0njjz9ZcO
Speaking about the outbreak, Rubio claimed the WHO was “a little late” in detecting and responding to the spread of Ebola. He also alleged that the organisation “failed miserably” during the coronavirus pandemic and “covered for China” as Covid-19 spread globally in 2020.
“The World Health Organization has unfortunately not done well around the world. I think they failed miserably during COVID. They covered for China,” Rubio said, according to Fox News.
US Focused On Preventing Ebola Cases From Entering Country
Rubio stressed that Washington’s top priority is ensuring the Ebola outbreak does not spread to the United States.
“Our number one objective on Ebola, before anything else… has to be we can’t have it affect the United States. We can’t have Ebola cases coming here,” he said.
Although no Ebola cases have been reported inside the United States, American authorities have introduced emergency travel restrictions targeting travellers from affected African nations.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), non-US citizens who have visited South Sudan, Uganda or the Democratic Republic of the Congo within the previous 21 days are temporarily barred from entering the United States.
The restrictions were issued jointly by the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security under the Title 42 public health authority and came into effect on May 18, 2026. The order is expected to remain active for at least 30 days.
Who Is Exempt From The Restrictions?
The restrictions do not apply to US citizens, permanent residents holding green cards or members of the armed forces.
However, exempt travellers arriving from affected regions are being subjected to enhanced health screenings at designated entry points, including Dulles International Airport.
The US State Department has also raised its travel advisory levels for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan to Level 4 — “Do Not Travel.” Meanwhile, Rwanda has been placed under Level 3 — “Reconsider Travel.”
WHO Declared Global Health Emergency
The emergency measures follow a rapidly worsening outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in Central and East Africa.
The WHO recently declared the outbreak a global health emergency after hundreds of infections and more than 130 deaths were reported across the affected regions.
Health officials also moved quickly after an American missionary doctor working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo tested positive for Ebola. The doctor has reportedly been transferred to Germany for specialised isolation and treatment, along with several individuals believed to have been exposed to the virus.
The Ebola outbreak has renewed global concerns over pandemic preparedness and international coordination, particularly after criticism of the global response to Covid-19.