Air France Flight Diverts to Canada Amid Ebola Concerns
US-bound plane diverts to Canada over Ebola alert
Image: The Sydney Morning Herald
An Air France flight from Paris to Detroit was diverted to Montreal after a passenger from the Democratic Republic of the Congo was mistakenly allowed to board, violating new US entry restrictions due to an Ebola outbreak. The passenger was deemed asymptomatic and returned to Paris, while the outbreak has raised international alarm with nearly 600 suspected cases and 148 deaths reported.
- 01The US has implemented new regulations requiring travelers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan to enter through Washington Dulles International Airport for enhanced screening.
- 02The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency, linked to the Bundibugyo virus, which has no available vaccine or treatment.
- 03Local unrest in the DR Congo includes violent protests against health measures, exemplified by the burning of an Ebola treatment center in Bunia.
- 04The outbreak has resulted in a significant number of suspected cases and deaths, with health officials struggling to contain the spread amid local customs that complicate burial practices.
- 05The M23 rebel group reported a confirmed Ebola death near Bukavu, marking the first case in South Kivu Province.
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An Air France flight from Paris to Detroit was diverted to Montreal, Canada, after a passenger from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) boarded in error, violating US entry restrictions due to an ongoing Ebola outbreak. The passenger was assessed by Canadian health officials and found to be asymptomatic, allowing the flight to continue to its original destination after the incident. The outbreak, linked to the Bundibugyo virus, has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it a public health emergency, with nearly 600 suspected cases and 148 deaths reported. The situation is exacerbated by local unrest in the DRC, where health workers face violent opposition to containment measures, including the burning of an Ebola treatment center in Bunia. As the outbreak spreads, health officials have been unable to identify 'patient zero', and the WHO has warned that the scale of the epidemic is likely much larger than reported. The M23 rebel group has also confirmed cases in South Kivu Province, indicating the outbreak's expansion beyond the initial epicenter.
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The diversion of the flight and the ongoing Ebola outbreak may affect travel plans for individuals from affected regions, as well as raise health concerns among travelers.
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