Ebola Outbreak: South Korea Expands Congo Travel Ban To 3 Provinces

Last Updated:May 22, 2026, 10:17 IST

A special travel advisory for the remaining parts of the African nation continues to remain in place.

South Korea on Friday announced an expansion of its travel ban in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as concerns grow over the spread of Ebola virus disease.

According to the foreign ministry, a Level 4 travel alert, the highest in South Korea’s four-tier warning system, will come into effect for Ituri Province from 2 pm Friday due to the increasing number of Ebola-related deaths, Yonhap news agency reported.

With the latest decision, the number of no-travel zones in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to three provinces: Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. The ministry said South Korean citizens travelling to or staying in these regions without special passport-use authorisation could face penalties under the passport law.

The ministry also issued a Level 3 alert advising citizens to leave areas located within 50 kilometres of the border with the Central African Republic, along with seven other provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including Bas-Uele and Haut-Uele.

A special travel advisory for the remaining parts of the African nation continues to remain in place.

On Thursday, South Korea issued a separate special travel advisory for all of Uganda after the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency designated the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan as priority quarantine management countries for Ebola.

The foreign ministry said it would continue monitoring the outbreak and decide whether further travel warning revisions are needed.

Foreign media reports said Ebola infections in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have risen sharply, with more than 160 suspected deaths reported so far.

(With inputs from agencies)

News world Ebola Outbreak: South Korea Expands Congo Travel Ban To 3 Provinces

Read More