Saudi Arabia has suspended travel for its citizens to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, and South Sudan and halted the issuance of all types of visas for individuals from these countries amid concerns over the Ebola outbreak. The restrictions, announced on June 27, also apply to travelers arriving from third countries if they have stayed in any of the three nations within 21 days prior to entering Saudi Arabia, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The Saudi Public Health Authority reported that no confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola have been detected within the kingdom since preventive measures were implemented. The move comes as a precaution to prevent the virus’s spread in Saudi Arabia.

The Ebola outbreak in the DRC, declared in mid-May, has so far resulted in 1,203 confirmed cases and 321 deaths, according to a report released Friday by the country’s public health authorities. The report indicated that 148 patients have recovered, while 419 remain in isolation or are receiving treatment. There are also 265 suspected cases, including 77 deaths.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that contact tracing efforts in the DRC have improved, resulting in more patients recovering and returning home. However, he underscored that the response remains challenging due to persistent insecurity, ongoing conflict, and community mistrust, which hinder efforts to control the outbreak.

Additional operational difficulties detailed in the report include resistance to post-mortem testing within affected communities, limited treatment capacity in the Ituri province where medical facilities are nearing their limits, and a contact follow-up rate that has yet to reach the WHO target of 95 percent.

The extension of travel restrictions by Saudi Arabia reflects growing global concerns about containing the Ebola virus amid the ongoing outbreak in central Africa.