Canada has extended travel restrictions imposed on Uganda and neighbouring countries following an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in May.
In its latest statement, the Canadian government said it remains deeply concerned about the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and has therefore extended the restrictions, which were first introduced at the end of May, until November 27, 2026.
The extension comes more than a month after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Uganda Ebola-free on August 26, 2026, after the country completed 42 consecutive days without recording a new case.
Under the extended measures, immigration processing remains suspended for residents of countries classified as having a high or very high risk of an Ebola outbreak. The countries listed include the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.
The measures also state that people whose last country of residence at the time of their application was one of the three countries cannot travel to Canada at this time. The restrictions apply even to individuals who already have an approved visa, permit or electronic travel authorization.
Ugandan authorities have previously protested the restrictions, arguing that the country is being unfairly grouped with the DRC despite differences in the nature of the outbreaks.
Uganda recorded 20 Ebola cases during the outbreak, 15 of whom were Congolese nationals. The remaining five cases were healthcare workers who had cared for the affected patients and a driver. Two of the patients died from complications related to the disease.
The Ugandan government has maintained that the cases involving Congolese nationals were linked largely to medical care and that appropriate infection-control measures prevented wider transmission within the local population.
World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also criticised blanket travel restrictions linked to Ebola outbreaks, saying such measures are not supported by scientific evidence and can negatively affect economies.
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