Ebola Screenings Begin At O'Hare

The U.S. government has tightened Ebola-related travel controls, but the central claim in circulation about Chicago O’Hare is not supported by the latest federal guidance. On May 18, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Homeland Security announced enhanced screening, entry restrictions and other public health measures tied to outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. Federal notices and CDC statements say the screening program is being concentrated at Washington Dulles International Airport, not O’Hare. The measures took effect as U.S. officials said no Ebola cases linked to the outbreak had been confirmed in the United States and that the domestic risk remained low. ### Is O’Hare actually screening arriving travelers for Ebola? CDC’s May 21 and May 22 public statements say affected travelers are being redirected to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia for enhanced public health screening. The agency said DHS posted a Federal Register notice requiring flights carrying people who had recently been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or South Sudan to arrive at Dulles beginning at 11:59 p.m. on May 20, 2026. (cdc.gov) NBC Chicago reported that an earlier version of its story said O’Hare would begin screening, but the outlet later corrected that account to say travelers bound for O’Hare from outbreak-affected countries were being funneled through Dulles, citing the Illinois Department of Public Health. That correction matches the federal notices now in effect. (cdc.gov) ### Who is being stopped, screened or redirected? The CDC said foreign nationals who were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within 21 days before arrival are subject to an order suspending their entry to the United States for 30 days. U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and lawful permanent residents who were in those countries within the same 21-day period are still allowed to enter. (nbcchicago.com) DHS said flights carrying those recent travelers must arrive at the airport where the government is focusing public health resources. The Federal Register notice describes the measure as an arrival restriction, while the CDC says airlines are contacting affected passengers to rebook travel to Dulles while screening is underway. (cdc.gov) ### What happens in the screening process? CDC said travelers who were in the three named countries within the prior 21 days are escorted to a designated airport screening area. There, they answer a short questionnaire about travel history and symptoms, provide contact information for follow-up if needed, and are observed by CDC staff for signs of illness. Temperatures are taken with non-contact thermometers, according to the agency. (federalregister.gov) Travelers without symptoms are allowed to continue to their final destinations after receiving health-monitoring instructions, the CDC said. If a traveler has a fever or other symptoms, that person is evaluated by a CDC public health officer. The agency said traveler information may then be shared with state and local health departments for follow-up. (cdc.gov) ### What outbreak triggered the new controls? CDC said the current outbreak involves Bundibugyo virus disease, a type of Ebola disease, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. As of May 23, the agency said the DRC had reported 746 suspected cases, 83 confirmed cases, 176 suspected deaths and 9 confirmed deaths, while Uganda had reported 5 confirmed cases and 1 confirmed death. (cdc.gov) On May 17, an American exposed while caring for patients in the DRC tested positive for Ebola Bundibugyo disease and was transported to Germany for treatment, according to the CDC. The agency also said there were no U.S. cases associated with this outbreak and that the risk to the American public remained low. ### Why did O’Hare’s name appear in early reports? (cdc.gov) O’Hare was named in some early local reports and in broader discussion of major U.S. travel hubs linked to East and Central Africa. But the operative federal actions now available publicly — the CDC statement, the CDC situation page and the DHS Federal Register notice — point to Dulles as the airport where enhanced screening is being concentrated. (cdc.gov) The next formal milestone is June 22, 2026, when written comments on the CDC order are due, according to the Federal Register notice. The CDC order itself took effect May 18 and is set to remain in effect for 30 days unless the government changes it sooner. (federalregister.gov) (cdc.gov)