Trending 
The United States (US) has urged countries on Tuesday to strengthen efforts to stop the spread of Ebola, including introducing stricter travel restrictions from affected regions.
A State Department official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity, that more global action is needed to contain the outbreak.
It was first detected last month in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo and has since spread to neighbouring Uganda.
“The United States has stepped up. Now the world must do more to step up as well. Other countries must do their part to ensure this outbreak does not spread further, urging increased funding and implementing commonsense restrictions on travel from the affected area,” the official told AFP.
The appeal comes as the United States prepares to host a large influx of visitors for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match kicks off on Thursday and is being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
President Donald Trump’s administration has pledged to prevent Ebola from entering the country, including plans to establish an Ebola treatment centre in Kenya for American citizens.
However, the proposal has prompted protests in Kenya, where demonstrators have opposed the idea of bringing potential Ebola carriers into the country.
According to digital news outlet Axios, the Trump administration has also been encouraging European countries to adopt stricter travel measures to contain the outbreak.
The US State Department confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Ursula von der Leyen to discuss coordinated efforts between the United States and Europe.
“The department’s highest priority and focus remain protecting the health of the American people and preventing this Ebola outbreak from reaching our shores,” State Department spokesperson Thomas Piggott said.
The United States has already barred non-American travellers who have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the previous 21 days.
Despite the restrictions, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s national football team is not expected to be affected, as players have been training in Europe for several weeks.
However, concerns over the outbreak led to the relocation of the team’s warm-up match against Chile on Tuesday from a city in Spain to France.
