Ethiopia Starts Health Screening against Corona Virus at Addis Ababa Airport

By Staff Reporter

January 26, 2020 (Ezega.com) -- The Ethiopian Public Health Institute announced that health screening against corona-virus has been launched at Addis Ababa international airport as per the recommendations of the World Health Organization.

“The institute launched entry health screenings and introduced advanced quarantine procedures at the airport in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus with special focus on travelers coming from China where the new SARS-like illness appeared first, director of the Institute Dr. Eba Abate said in a briefing on Friday.

The screening involves check-up of temperatures on arrival for travelers coming from Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guangzhou provinces of China at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. A special attention will be given to those travelers coming from Wuhan province of China, the director said

“We follow similar screening procedures as we did for the prevention of Ebola. Travelers with high temperature would be kept at a temporary center at the airport until their health conditions in relations to Corona is checked.” Dr. Eba added

Special health centers also are arranged for more follow up if a case of corona-virus is detected on any of the travelers.

According to the director, the follow up on travelers from Wuhan province will continue for two weeks once they arrive in Addis Ababa and other parts of the country.

More than 500 people have so far been infected by the Wuhan corona-virus in mainland China, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, and the US, which has one confirmed case.

At least 26 people have died, all in Hubei province of China, the majority of them were elderly and suffering from pre-existing conditions.

Chinese health experts this week confirmed some cases involved human-to-human transmission.

Chinese officials announced the suspension of public transportation to Wuhan last Thursday, January 23.

The suspension includes local buses, ferries, long-distance buses, and subways. All airport and railway stations in Wuhan will be "temporarily closed" for departing passengers with no set reopening dates.

The Ethiopian Airlines conducts 35 flights a week including to Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou and other provinces of the Asian giant.

The director called on the public to provide tips in case of encountering infected people who come from those countries.

Dr. Eba said the institute is working in collaboration with the WHO and Center for Diseases Control (CDC) of the African Union to prevent the spread of the disease in Ethiopia in particular and in Africa in general.

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