Congolese Montrealers have plans upended by Canada’s Ebola travel restrictions

MONTREAL — An international student from the Democratic Republic of Congo says she was blocked from returning to Montreal due to Ebola-related travel restrictions.

Merdie Sanga says she had believed the measure wouldn’t apply to her since she hadn’t been to Congo in almost a year.

The Université du Québec à Montréal student was vacationing in France when she received a letter from Canada’s immigration department telling her that some travel documents were being suspended for foreign nationals from Congo, South Sudan and Uganda due to concerns over the virus.

Sanga says she has submitted paperwork to the government showing why she falls outside the scope of the measures, and is hopeful she’ll be allowed to return to Montreal soon.