The Department of Homeland Security announced new entry restrictions beginning Thursday for foreign travelers arriving from countries at the center of the latest Ebola outbreak. The restrictions represent the latest federal response to contain potential spread of the disease to the United States.

The new measures specifically target foreign nationals traveling from affected regions, though officials have not yet provided detailed information about which countries will be subject to the restrictions or the specific requirements travelers will face.

The announcement comes amid ongoing concerns about disease surveillance capabilities in affected regions. Previous reporting has indicated that aid reductions have impacted disease monitoring networks and medical supply chains in East Africa, areas that have experienced Ebola outbreaks in recent years.

Questions remain about the treatment of American citizens who may have been exposed to Ebola while abroad. Officials have faced inquiries about protocols for returning U.S. nationals, though specific details about evacuation procedures have not been fully disclosed.

The Ebola virus causes severe illness and has been responsible for multiple outbreaks in West and Central Africa over the past decade. The disease spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals and has a high fatality rate when left untreated.