The Ministry of Health and Population has activated strict health screening protocols at all major international entry points, including Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), following a global alert from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The emergency response was triggered after the WHO Director-General declared the rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
The Outbreak: A New Strain with No Approved Vaccine
The current crisis stems from the Bundibugyo virus strain (BVD), a rare and highly lethal species of Ebola.
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The Numbers: As of May 16, 2026, health authorities have logged 246 suspected cases and 80 community deathsacross three health zones in eastern Congo’s Ituri province.
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Cross-Border Spread: The virus has formally crossed borders, with two laboratory-confirmed cases and one fatality recorded in Kampala, Uganda, among individuals who traveled from the DRC.
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The Danger: Unlike the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, the Bundibugyo strain currently has no approved specific vaccines or therapeutic treatments, making early containment globally critical.
Why Nepal is on High Alert
While Nepal is geographically distant from Central Africa, health officials face a direct exposure vector: United Nations Peacekeeping deployments.
Nepal currently has more than 970 peacekeepers, police personnel, and medical staff stationed in the conflict-and-virus-hit regions of the DRC. With personnel frequently rotating back home to Nepal on leave, the risk of importing an undetected case is a pressing concern for the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD).
New Security Measures at TIA and Land Borders
Under the newly issued EDCD circular, health desks have transitioned to active surveillance:
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Mandatory Travel History Logs: Passengers arriving via transit flights from East and Central Africa, or European hubs with high African transit traffic (such as Istanbul, Doha, and Dubai), must declare their full 45-day travel history.
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Thermal Scanning and Isolation: Automated thermal cameras at TIA are being monitored around the clock. Any traveler showing early indicators—such as sudden high fever, intense muscle pain, vomiting, or internal/external bleeding—will be immediately isolated.
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Peacekeeper Coordination: The Ministry of Health is coordinating directly with the Nepali Army and Nepal Police headquarters to ensure that returning contingents undergo strict pre-departure screening and structured health monitoring upon landing.
Public Advisory
The WHO has explicitly advised against closing international borders or restricting trade, noting that the virus primarily spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids rather than airborne transmission.
Nepali health authorities have urged the public not to panic, emphasizing that the current screening measures are purely precautionary to establish an early firewall against potential importation.