Chennai: With over 6,000 people having died of Ebola according to the World Health Organisation, measures to contain the pandemic are more important than ever before.
So how does Chennai screen and monitor those coming from the Ebola-hit nations? What are the procedures followed? Is the city’s airport equipped to handle any pandemic — whether it is Ebola, Avian flu, or Corona Virus?
On an average, about 4,000 passengers arrive at the international terminal of Chennai airport every day. Of these, around 2,000 passengers are from the five Ebola-hit countries — Sierra Leone, Congo, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria. Though there are no direct flights from these countries to the city, passengers can travel via the Middle East. There are about nine flights including Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, Jet Airways and Oman Air that fly between the Middle East and Chennai every day.
According to the directorate of public health (DPH), procedures begin on the aircraft itself. An announcement is made asking passengers travelling from Ebola-hit countries as well as those who have fever or any respiratory symptoms to fill out a health card.
06/12/14 Zubeda Hamid/Sunitha Sekar/The Hindu
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So how does Chennai screen and monitor those coming from the Ebola-hit nations? What are the procedures followed? Is the city’s airport equipped to handle any pandemic — whether it is Ebola, Avian flu, or Corona Virus?
On an average, about 4,000 passengers arrive at the international terminal of Chennai airport every day. Of these, around 2,000 passengers are from the five Ebola-hit countries — Sierra Leone, Congo, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria. Though there are no direct flights from these countries to the city, passengers can travel via the Middle East. There are about nine flights including Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, Jet Airways and Oman Air that fly between the Middle East and Chennai every day.
According to the directorate of public health (DPH), procedures begin on the aircraft itself. An announcement is made asking passengers travelling from Ebola-hit countries as well as those who have fever or any respiratory symptoms to fill out a health card.
06/12/14 Zubeda Hamid/Sunitha Sekar/The Hindu
