A US-bound flight is diverted to Canada after a passenger who is reported to be from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—an Ebola-affected region—boards the plane, according to multiple reports. India Today and BBC News say the flight is redirected to Canada after the person boards “in error.” ABC Australia similarly describes the incident as linked to heightened US health screening requirements for travellers from Ebola-exposed countries.
Several outlets report that the US has introduced new restrictions for flights originating from or linked to regions associated with the Ebola outbreak in Africa, including requirements that eligible travellers enter through Washington DC. The diversion is presented as a response to these controls, though officials cited by BBC News do not specify whether the passenger shows symptoms.
The broader Ebola context is also referenced by Australian newspapers, including reporting about the burning of a treatment centre in the DRC and public anger over the crisis. Across sources, the common thread is the diversion due to an apparent mismatch with the US entry and screening rules for travellers from the Ebola-affected region.
