Amid growing fears over the implications for global mobility and regional aviation operations, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has called on governments, airlines, airports, and other aviation stakeholders to fully comply with health safety measures established after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The aviation agency stressed that international air transport remains safe but warned that strict adherence to health surveillance and response systems is critical to minimizing Ebola-related risks and preventing unnecessary disruptions to flight operations.
The aviation agency stressed that international air transport remains safe but warned that strict adherence to health surveillance and response systems is critical to minimizing Ebola-related risks and preventing unnecessary disruptions to flight operations.
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented global aviation shutdowns and exposed major weaknesses in emergency coordination across borders. In response, ICAO introduced standardized systems for rapid information sharing among governments, airlines, airports, and health agencies to improve crisis management during disease outbreaks.
As part of those reforms, digital innovations such as electronic health declarations, contactless border processing systems, and passenger health monitoring platforms were integrated into global aviation safety recommendations to strengthen disease surveillance and reduce transmission risks during international travel.
International airlines and aviation authorities are therefore under an obligation to strictly enforce global health safety protocols, ICAO declared yesterday.
The measure became necessary as deadly Ebola outbreak spreads across parts of Central Africa, raising fresh concerns over cross-border disease transmission and potential disruptions to international air travel.
The World Health Organization stated in its latest update that the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola continues to spread rapidly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where health authorities have recorded more than 1000 suspected infections and over 220 suspected deaths.
The World Health Organization stated in its latest update that the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola continues to spread rapidly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where health authorities have recorded more than 1000 suspected infections and over 220 suspected deaths.
The outbreak which the WHO is hesitant to declare a pandemic, has also crossed into neighboring Uganda, where seven confirmed cases have already been reported.
According to the WHO, the outbreak has been declared a public health emergency of international concern, with transmission now spreading faster than health workers can contain it.
ICAO said it is now coordinating closely with the WHO and member states to implement measures aimed at preventing the spread of Ebola through air travel while protecting passengers, flight crews, and airport personnel.
The agency added that maintaining traveler confidence and avoiding large-scale flight cancellations remain key priorities as governments seek to balance public health protection with the need to sustain global connectivity and economic activity.
In updated travel guidance, the World Health Organization advised countries against closing borders or imposing blanket restrictions on travel and trade, warning that such actions could undermine humanitarian response efforts and disrupt regional economies without significantly reducing transmission risks.
The WHO stated that entry screening outside affected regions is currently not necessary for passengers arriving from high-risk areas. However, it recommended that affected countries implement strict exit screening procedures at international airports to identify travelers showing symptoms associated with the Bundibugyo Ebola strain, including unexplained fever and related illness.
The global health agency also emphasized that confirmed Ebola patients and identified contacts must be isolated immediately and prevented from undertaking international travel except under controlled medical evacuation arrangements.
The outbreak is unfolding at a time when African economies are already facing mounting pressure from rising inflation, supply chain disruptions, geopolitical instability, and fragile healthcare systems, raising concerns that a wider regional spread could trigger additional economic and transportation shocks across the continent.
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