Amid reports that airlines are suspending flights over the Ebola outbreak the United Nations World Health Organisation (WHO) has allayed fears by sending out social media messages. These have assurances that “unlike infections like influenza and tuberculosis, Ebola is not airborne”.

“The chance of having someone who is sick with Ebola getting in a plane is small,” tweeted WHO, “Usually when someone is sick with Ebola, they are so unwell that they can’t travel.”

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Dr David Nabarro as Senior United Nations System Coordinator for Ebola, in support of the work done by WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan and her team.

WHO said “It was disappointed when airlines stop flying to West Africa. It is ‘hard to save lives if we and other health workers cannot get in,’ the health agency tweeted following a press conference.

“Ebola-affected countries, international airlines are putting systems in place to screen passengers for possible infection. Countries with big airports with high volumes of travellers are not the same as countries with land borders with Ebola-affected countries.”

WHO has repeatedly said the Ebola virus is highly contagious – but not airborne. Transmission requires close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, as can occur during health-care procedures, home care, or traditional burial practices, which involve the close contact of family members and friends with bodies.

The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, but patients become contagious only after the onset of symptoms. As symptoms worsen, the ability to transmit the virus increases.

As a result, patients are usually most likely to infect others at a severe stage of the disease, when they are visibly, and physically, too ill to travel.

The highest Ebola virus level is found in a dead body, according to WHO, hence, currently the highest risk of Ebola transmission is during burial ceremony.

SAA continues to fly to West Africa

South African Airways (SAA) said they would continue operating in West Africa.

The airline said the Emergency Committee of WHO on the Ebola outbreak held a meeting in Geneva from 6 – 7 August. The meeting, said SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali, concluded that there “should be no general ban on international travel or trade” to that region.

Tlali says, “Having noted the announcement by WHO, SAA has stepped up measures aimed at protecting its passengers, crew and ground staff.”

SAA flies to five destinations in West Africa, namely Abidjan (Ivory Coast); Accra (Ghana); Cotonou (Benin); Dakar (Senegal) and Lagos (Nigeria).

Adds Tlali, “There is no travel ban to any of these destinations as a result of the outbreak of the virus in that region. The airline remains committed to ensuring the enforcement of international health protocols associated with air transport.”

The measures include ensuring that the airline has in place vigilant staff that will be on the lookout for passengers who bear specific and visible symptoms associated with the Ebola virus. SAA staff is adequately trained to manage incidents of this nature, should a need to do so arise.|

In cases where a passenger may bear visible symptoms associated with the infection at check-in, such passengers will be isolated from the others. This will be followed with passenger interviews and tests conducted by the health authorities in order to determine the possible cause of the symptoms.

“In the event that there is any doubt regarding the medical condition of any suspected passenger, SAA may elect to deny such passenger/s to board its aircraft.

“In cases where passengers develop symptoms after the aircraft has commenced its flight, the crew on board will initiate specific procedures that include isolating such passengers from others on board the aircraft,” said Tlali.
This will eliminate possible physical interaction of affected passengers with other passengers.

Each of SAA’s aircraft has been equipped with special protective gear for crew on board to wear and to enable them to respond to any passengers suspected of having been infected, or displaying the listed symptoms that include sweating, nose bleeding or vomiting.

There is also a special biohazard waste disposal kit intended for the safe disposal of waste.

SAA will remain in communication with its local health authorities and will monitor the situation on a continuous basis. This will enable the airline to constantly do risk assessment and review its decisions, should there be developments that warrant such a review.

Concludes Tlali, “SAA would like to urge everyone travelling to the West African region to take the necessary precaution and be vigilant.”

Source – SAnews.gov.za