Rescinding Order: Requirement for Airlines to Collect Designated Information for Passengers Destined for the United States Who are Departing From, or Were Otherwise Present In, the Republic of Guinea

In February 2021, outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (Ebola) were identified in the Republic of Guinea (Guinea) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an Order on March 2, 2021 requiring airlines to collect and transmit to CDC contact information for passengers who were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Republic of Guinea within the 21 days before their arrival or attempted arrival in the United States.

This Order became effective on March 4, 2021. On April 29, 2021, CDC amended the Order to no longer require the collection and transmission of contact information for passengers who were in DRC within 21 days before their arrival or attempted arrival in the United States.

On May 14, 2021, CDC rescinded the March 2, 2021 Order to no longer require the collection and transmission of contact information for passengers who were in Guinea within 21 days before their arrival or attempted arrival in the United States. To view the order, click here [PDF – 47 KB, 3 pages].

This rescission went into effect beginning 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 14, 2021.

To view the Notice rescinding the Order, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did CDC rescind the Order?

The last Ebola case was confirmed in DRC on March 1 and the 42-day countdown to the end of outbreak began on March 22 following the last survivor testing negative for Ebola virus and being discharged from the Ebola treatment unit. As the risk of case importation from DRC was determined to be very low, on April 29, CDC amended the Order to remove the requirements for air passengers from DRC.

Since April 3, 2021, there have been no new confirmed Ebola cases reported in Guinea and all contacts of cases that were being monitored have passed the 21-day incubation period. CDC determined that air passengers who have been in Guinea in the past 21 days have very low risk of exposure to Ebola virus. Therefore, the March 2, 2021 Order is rescinded in its entirety as of 12:01 a.m. Daylight Saving Time on May 14, 2021.