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Passenger from Congo boards flight ‘in error’, prompting diversion to Canada amid Ebola outbreak
TL;DR
An Air France flight to Detroit was diverted to Canada after a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo boarded in error due to Ebola-related travel restrictions. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection and CDC are enforcing measures to prevent Ebola's entry into the U.S.
Key points
- Air France flight to Detroit was redirected to Canada
- Passenger from Democratic Republic of Congo boarded in error
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforced travel restrictions
- CDC and DHS implemented measures to prevent Ebola entry
- Enhanced travel screening and protocols are in place
Mentioned in this story
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Ebola
An Air France flight headed to Detroit, Michigan, was redirected to Canada on Wednesday after it was determined that a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had boarded “in error” amid new Ebola-related travel restrictions, officials with the US Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) said.
“Due to entry restrictions put in place to reduce the risk of the Ebola virus, the passenger should not have boarded the plane,” a CBP spokesperson said in a statement.
“CBP took decisive action and prohibited the flight carrying that traveler from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and instead, diverted to Montreal, Canada.”
The spokesperson added that CBP, in coordination with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “is taking the necessary measures to protect public health and reduce the risk of Ebola disease introduction into the United States”.
On Monday, the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) implemented temporary measures aimed at preventing the Ebola disease from entering the US amid ongoing outbreaks in east and central Africa. The measures include enhanced travel screening, entry restrictions and additional public health protocols.
Among the new rules are entry restrictions for non-US passport holders who have been in “Uganda, DRC or South Sudan in the previous 21 days”. The order is in effect for 30 days, according to the announcement.
The DHS will implement further entry restrictions beginning on Thursday for foreign travellers arriving to the US from countries at the center of the outbreak. In a DHS notice submitted to the Federal Register, expected to be published on Thursday, the department states all US-bound flights carrying foreign travelers who have been in Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the last 21 days must land at Washington-Dulles International airport in Virginia, “where the US government is focusing public health resources to implement enhanced public health measures”.
On Wednesday, the director-general of the World Health Organization said that so far, there have been almost 600 suspected cases of Ebola and 139 suspected deaths, warning that the numbers are expected to rise. The director-general said that 51 cases had been confirmed in the DRC, “although we know the scale of the epidemic in DRC is much larger”. Uganda has also confirmed two cases, he said.
Q&A
Why was the Air France flight diverted to Canada?
The flight was diverted because a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo boarded in error amid Ebola-related travel restrictions.
What measures are being taken to prevent Ebola from entering the U.S.?
The CDC and DHS have implemented temporary measures including enhanced travel screening and entry restrictions to prevent Ebola's introduction into the U.S.
What are the current Ebola-related travel restrictions for the U.S.?
Current restrictions include prohibiting travelers from certain regions, particularly those experiencing outbreaks, from boarding flights to the U.S.
