An Air France flight was blocked from entering US airspace and instead diverted to Canada over fears of one passenger’s exposure to the Ebola outbreak in Africa.
Air France Flight 378 was scheduled to land at Detroit Metro Wayne Airport in Michigan late Wednesday afternoon before it changed course for Montreal Trudeau International Airport in the Canadian city.
US officials stopped the flight from entering the country after it was revealed a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo was allowed to board “in error,” the US Customs and Border Protection told CBS News.
“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 told the outlet. “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 Air France flight was flying in conjunction with Delta Airlines during the change in arrival location.
Air France confirms that, at the request of US authorities, Flight AF378 was diverted to Montreal Airport after a Congolese passenger on board was denied entry into the United States,” and Air France spokesperson told WXYZ. “There was no medical emergency on board, and like all airlines, Air France is required to comply with the entry requirements of the countries it serves.”
Ongoing outbreaks in Eastern and Central Africa have forced government agencies to adjust protocol and restrict travel from anyone who has visited the affected region into the US.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Homeland Security implemented Monday heightened measures, including enhanced travel screening, restricted entry and public health measures to prevent Ebola from entering the country.
Wednesday’s diverted flight came a day before a new DHS initiative was to go into place that would require flights carrying passengers from the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan to land at Washington-Dulles International Airport in Virginia, according to a memo viewed by CBS News.
The restrictions are expected to go into effect on Thursday.
The DRC currently has 600 suspected cases of Ebola, with 139 deaths being blamed on the disease, according to Reuters.
Fifty-one cases have been confirmed in the Central African country, and at least two patients in neighboring Uganda.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attempted to lower the fear of a potential widespread outbreak, saying the risk of a global spread is low but cautioned the outbreak has could be bad for the region.
“We know the scale of the epidemic is much larger,” Ghebreyesus said after revealing the 51 confirmed cases on Wednesday.
“Beyond the confirmed cases, there are almost 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected,” he said.
“We expect those numbers to keep increasing.”
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