A flight to Detroit was diverted to Canada overnight after a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was mistakenly allowed to board amid Ebola travel restrictions, U.S. officials said.
Air France Flight Diverted Due to Ebola Restrictions
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed that Air France Flight 378, departing Paris on Wednesday evening, was diverted after officials determined a passenger from the DRC had “incorrectly” boarded.
A CBP spokesperson said the agency “took decisive action” to prevent the passenger from entering the United States, citing entry restrictions designed to reduce the risk of Ebola transmission.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has temporarily banned travelers without American passports from entering the U.S. if they have been in DRC, South Sudan, or Uganda within the past three weeks.
Confirmed Ebola Case Among U.S. Citizens
The CDC confirmed that an American doctor, Peter Stafford, working in DRC, tested positive for Ebola and was transported to Germany for treatment.
Six other U.S. citizens have been exposed. Stafford’s missionary organization reported that he is “critically ill but not acutely deteriorating,” while his wife, also a doctor, and their four children are asymptomatic and quarantining as a precaution in Germany.
Current Ebola Outbreak in Africa
As of May 21, the CDC reported 575 suspected Ebola cases and 148 suspected deaths, nearly all in DRC. The outbreak marks the 17th Ebola outbreak in the region over the past 50 years.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern about the rapid spread of the virus, declaring it a public health emergency. He noted that while the risk of a global outbreak remains low, the virus poses a significant threat nationally and regionally in DRC and Uganda.
