Airports to screen for virus ahead of Haj
Passengers flying in from the Middle East and West Africa will be screened for Mers-Cov and Ebola virus at all Indian airports from September. The move comes after WHO advised all countries to step up surveillance of respiratory illnesses and monitor unusual patterns.The government plan to start stepping up screening procedures at airports and hospitals comes ahead of the Haj season, which is likely to see around 1,36,000 Indians visit Saudi Arabia and return. The Haj season this year is between October 1 and 6.
"We have requested airport authorities to start informing us when Haj pilgrims start returning to the country," said deputy director of public health A Somasundaram. "But we intend to start screening all passengers returning from Saudi Arabia at least a month earlier," he added. A team from the state's public health department will be posted at all the international airports in the state from September. "All the state governments in other states will also be doing the same in their respective international airports," he said.
While passengers from Saudi Arabia will be screened for Mers-Cov (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus), all passengers from Sierra Leone and Guinea will be screened for Ebola virus.
Though no case of Mers-Cov or Ebola has been reported in India, Mers cases were seen in the United States in May this year. "All the cases in the US had a history of travel to Saudi Arabia. Some had worked in hospitals that treated patients with this condition," said the World Health Organization website.
Mers-Cov was first seen in 2012. Transmitted through air, it presents itself through cough and fever, and shortness of breath. It causes a condition called atypical pneumonia. WHO has recorded 701 cases and 249 deaths worldwide.
Ebola is a disease caused by a virus by that name. Symptoms start two to three weeks after contracting the virus. It begins with fever, muscle pain and headache, and slowly adds diarrhea and nausea.
The state's public health department met on Monday to review the control of epidemics. "WHO has issued a red alert of three viruses—dengue, Mers-Cov and Ebola. Since all these viruses spread easily, we will initiate measures for detection, quarantine and treatment," said a public health department official.
Last year, the fear of the contracting Mers discouraged thousands of Indians from taking the holy pilgrimage. "The numbers dropped from 1.74 lakh pilgrims in 2012 to 1.25 lakh in 2013, because of the scare," said a Haj committee official. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Airports-to-screen-for-virus-ahead-of-Haj/articleshow/38036377.cms
