U.S. health authorities introduced enhanced Ebola screening measures after a traveler from an affected area in Central Africa was taken off a flight to Detroit and evaluated by Canadian health officials.
The passenger, a Congolese national who was flying from Paris to Detroit, was removed from the plane after it was diverted to Montreal due to new Ebola-related travel restrictions, the Daily Mail reported.
Public Health Agency of Canada spokesman Mark Johnson said the traveler was assessed by quarantine officials upon arrival in Montreal.
Officials later determined the passenger was asymptomatic and allowed the flight to continue to Detroit on Wednesday. The traveler then returned to Paris.
The incident comes amid growing concerns about a major Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
On Thursday, the U.S. government announced new restrictions requiring Americans and legal permanent residents returning from Ebola-affected countries to be rerouted through Washington Dulles International Airport to undergo screening.
This requirement applies to travelers who have been to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the past 21 days.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Customs and Border Protection will conduct “enhanced public health screenings” at Dulles, according to a notice issued by U.S. authorities.
Officials warned travelers to prepare for possible itinerary changes or cancellations once the measures take effect.
The current Ebola epidemic is concentrated in Ituri Province in eastern Congo, where it has killed at least 136 people, and nearly 600 people are reported to be suspected of infection.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was “deeply concerned by the scale and speed of the epidemic.”
The outbreak involves a rare strain of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus that has a mortality rate of up to 50 percent, according to health officials.
Concerns are also heightened as the Congolese national men’s football team is scheduled to travel to the United States on June 17 to compete in the FIFA World Cup in Houston. CDC officials said they are “actively working with FIFA” to ensure safe travel arrangements during the tournament and protect public health.
Despite the heightened precautions, the CDC says the overall risk to the American public remains low. Travelers returning from affected areas are advised to monitor for symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, vomiting and unexplained bleeding for 21 days after leaving the area.
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