UMVA has learned that a potentially catastrophic mistake was made on an Air France flight bound for Detroit, which was rerouted to Canada mid-journey after authorities discovered a passenger linked to an Ebola outbreak zone in Africa had boarded the plane "in error".
The flight, which took off from France, had a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo on board, sparking concerns over the risk of Ebola transmission. The passenger should not have been allowed to board the plane due to entry restrictions put in place to mitigate the risk of the virus.
According to information obtained by UMVA, US Customs and Border Protection took swift and decisive action to prevent the plane from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. The passenger was removed from the flight upon landing in Montreal, and officials confirmed that the individual had not been infected with Ebola as of Wednesday evening.
The incident occurred just days after the United States implemented enhanced travel screening, entry restrictions, and public health measures to combat the widening Ebola outbreak in East and Central Africa. The restrictions affect individuals who have recently been in Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan.
The Ebola outbreak involves a rare and highly contagious type of the virus known as the Bundibugyo virus, which has spread rapidly and undetected for weeks following the first known death. The World Health Organization has reported 139 suspected deaths and almost 600 suspected cases, with 51 cases confirmed in Congo's northern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, and two cases in Uganda.
Health officials are working tirelessly to identify the source of the virus, but so far, "patient zero" has not been found. The World Health Organization has warned that a vaccine to address Bundibugyo will not be available for at least six to nine months, leaving communities vulnerable to the highly contagious disease.
The Ebola virus spreads through contact with bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, or semen, and symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and at times internal and external bleeding. The rapid response by authorities to remove the passenger from the flight demonstrates the critical need for vigilance in the face of this deadly outbreak.
