Ebola Fears Divert Flight to Canada

An Air France flight en route to Detroit, Michigan, was diverted to Montreal, Canada, on Wednesday. The diversion occurred because a passenger identified as being from the Democratic Republic of Congo was mistakenly boarded onto the flight, triggering U.S. entry restrictions related to the Ebola outbreak. U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated the passenger should not have boarded and subsequently prohibited the flight from landing in Detroit.

The status of the passenger and whether the flight would continue to Detroit remained unclear. This event followed new U.S. government protocols announced earlier in the week. These regulations mandate that all U.S.-bound flights carrying foreign travelers who have recently visited Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan must now land exclusively at Washington-Dulles International Airport in Virginia. This measure aims to concentrate public health resources for enhanced screening of potentially exposed individuals.