How the Ebola virus is spread - doctor explains travel risk

FOX 2 - A flight bound for Detroit was diverted to Canada after it became known a passenger from the Congo boarded the plane.

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On Wednesday, a flight from Charles de Gaulle diverted its course from DTW to Montreal. On the flight was a passenger from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

That's one of the areas that's under a US travel restriction because of an Ebola outbreak.

As we get ready for a busy travel season, many are wondering if someone is infected with this virus — how is it spread?

"It's very infectious, it is one of the most infectious diseases," said Dr. Anil Kumar, Trinity Health.

And it is often fatal, but is also very rare.

Ebola is an often fatal virus - we talked to Dr. Kumar to learn more about where this virus comes from.

"Basically it originates from bats and then other animals in the jungle of the Congo, like monkeys, chimpanzees and others, they get contaminated by contact with these bats," he said. "And humans in contact with those animals, are then infected.

"So that's basically animal to human infection transmission — and then the humans transmit to humans."

But how is it spread from human to human? Dr. Kumar says it is very important to understand, it is only spread through very close contact.

"Luckily it is not an airborne infection," he said. "It is mostly contact with fluids from the body. You know saliva, urine, semen, and other fluids. So, if you're not in contact with that, Ebola is at least not transmissible to you."

RELATED: Detroit-bound flight from France diverted to Canada due to Ebola concerns

But what about being on a plane with someone who's potentially sick? We often feel like flying puts us in close contact with hundreds of strangers.

"Most of us have the experience of coming home from long distance flights, we have some kind of cold or virus like infection," Dr. Kumar said. "But luckily Ebola is not airborne. It doesn't go through the duct system through the airplane and so the persons traveling with this suspected person who might be infected are not really at risk from the airplane point of view.

"Contact is what would make a difference."

As the world continues to monitor Ebola and people impacted by it, many countries like the US are implementing travel restrictions and also screenings.