Quintana Roo Airports Implement Preventive Measures Amid Ebola Outbreak

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Authorities in Quintana Roo have deployed preventive health measures at the state’s airports following an Ebola outbreak in several African countries, officials announced.

Although there are no direct flights from Africa to Cancún, Aeropuertos del Sureste confirmed that sanitary filters and epidemiological surveillance have been implemented at airports in line with a federal health alert issued by the Ministry of Health.

The measures include screening passengers and reviewing itineraries of travelers arriving from affected regions, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Sudan, as well as those who transited through Europe or other international hubs en route to Mexico.

“The disease currently represents a localized risk in specific regions, but due to international mobility associated with mass events, epidemiological surveillance and early identification of symptoms remain essential public health measures,” the state health secretariat (Sesa) said in its preventive advisory.

The state tourism secretariat (Sedetur) confirmed that Quintana Roo is aligned with protocols set by federal health authorities. “Preventive measures are already in place and can be consulted at the Ministry of Health,” said Bernardo Cueto, Quintana Roo’s tourism secretary.

Sesa’s advisory recommends avoiding all non-essential travel to affected countries and checking epidemiological conditions and entry requirements before traveling. It notes a low risk of imported cases from international travelers arriving from areas with active transmission, but surveillance continues at points of entry.

The advisory details that the Ebola incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, and transmission occurs through direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids of infected or deceased individuals, as well as contaminated surfaces or objects. “The virus is not airborne like influenza or COVID-19; timely identification and isolation of symptomatic individuals significantly reduces the risk of transmission,” Sesa added.

While no direct flights operate from affected countries, Mexico’s Migration Policy Office reported that in 2025, Cancún received 40 travelers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 79 from Sudan, and 152 from Uganda. In the first quarter of 2026, the figures were six, 17, and 16, respectively.