Muscat – The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued a public health circular alerting airlines and travellers about precautionary measures related to the Ebola outbreak reported in parts of Africa.

In Circular No 1/2026 issued on May 24, the authority said the advisory was based on recommendations from the World Health Organization concerning the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

The CAA, in coordination with the Medical Response Sector, called on all airlines operating in the sultanate and passengers travelling to or arriving from affected areas to strictly follow preventive health guidelines.

The authority advised travellers to avoid non-essential travel to outbreak-hit regions and to follow official health updates issued by national authorities and the WHO. Passengers were also urged to ensure adequate health and medical evacuation insurance coverage before travelling.

During travel and stay in affected regions, the CAA advised avoiding contact with individuals showing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, bleeding or diarrhoea, as well as avoiding exposure to blood and body fluids. Travellers were also encouraged to maintain regular hand hygiene and use alcohol-based sanitisers.

Additional precautions included avoiding unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities in affected areas, refraining from handling wild animals or undercooked meat, and avoiding funerals or gatherings involving direct contact with infected persons.

The authority said travellers arriving in Oman from affected regions should monitor their health condition for 21 days from the date of departure from those areas.

The circular added that anyone developing symptoms such as fever, severe headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding or extreme fatigue should immediately visit the nearest health facility, disclose their travel history and avoid contact with others until medical evaluation is completed.

The CAA stressed that Ebola is not an airborne disease and spreads only through direct contact with infected body fluids or contaminated objects. It added that early detection and rapid reporting remain essential to limiting transmission and protecting public health.