jordan pulse -

Upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior has decided to preemptively ban the entry of arrivals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda due to the Ebola virus.
The decision was based on recommendations from a meeting held on May 18, 2026, with the participation of the Ministry of Health (represented by the Epidemiology Directorate), the National Center for Epidemics and Communicable Diseases Control, and a representative from the World Health Organization (WHO) in Jordan, to discuss epidemiological updates and the necessary preventative measures to protect public health.
The relevant authorities confirmed that this decision comes within the framework of enforcing the provisions of the Jordanian Public Health Law No. 47 of 2008 and its amendments, taking necessary precautionary actions to prevent the entry and spread of epidemics and communicable diseases. They noted that the epidemiological situation will remain under continuous assessment in accordance with global health updates.
On Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed grave concern over the speed and scale of the Ebola virus outbreak as the number of infections continues to rise.
Ghebreyesus stated that there are at least 500 suspected cases of the virus, in addition to 130 deaths believed to be caused by it since the start of the new outbreak.
He added that this figure is joined by one confirmed death and one confirmed case in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, and 30 confirmed cases in the Ituri province in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
"These numbers will change as field operations expand, which includes strengthening surveillance, contact tracing, and laboratory testing," he told members of the World Health Assembly meeting this week in Geneva.
On Tuesday, authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo stated that they registered 26 suspected Ebola-related deaths within 24 hours in the eastern part of the country, while WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep concern over the spread of the disease.
The new fatalities bring the total number to 131 deaths linked to the virus outbreak in eastern Congo. The daily bulletin issued by health authorities indicates 516 suspected cases and 33 confirmed infections in the Congo, as well as two confirmed cases in neighboring Uganda.
Ghebreyesus announced on Saturday that the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
The virus spreads through direct contact with the body fluids of infected people or animals, causing symptoms that can include high fever, vomiting, and internal and external bleeding. The organization noted that the average fatality rate for Ebola is approximately 50%, varying from 25% to 90% in previous outbreaks.
"I am deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic's spread," Tedros told World Health Assembly members in Geneva today, pointing to the number of reported cases in urban areas and among healthcare workers.