UN agencies set Task Force on Ebola

The heads of six United Nations agencies have decided to activate a Travel and Transport Task Force in order to support the global efforts to contain the spread of the Ebola disease outbreak.

The agencies include the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization, the World Tourism Organization, Airports Council International, International Air Transport Association and the World Travel and Tourism Council.

A statement issued by Fadéla Chaib, WHO Communications Officer and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Monday said the agencies want to provide a coordinated international response for the travel and tourism sector; hence the Task Force would monitor the situation and provide timely information to the travel and tourism sector as well as to travellers.

It recounted that the current Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak is believed to have begun in Guinea in December 2013, this outbreak now involves community transmission in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and recently an ill traveller from Liberia infected a small number of people in Nigeria with whom he had direct contact.

It said on August 8, WHO declared the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in accordance with the International Health Regulations (2005).

The statement said the risk of transmission of Ebola virus disease during air travel is low, adding that, unlike infections such as influenza or tuberculosis, Ebola is not spread by breathing air (and the airborne particles it contains) from an infected person.

It said transmission requires direct contact with blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected living or dead persons or animals, all unlikely exposures for the average traveller.

It observed that: “Travellers are, in any event, advised to avoid all such contacts and routinely practice careful hygiene, like hand washing”.

The statement said the risk of getting infected on an aircraft is also small as sick persons usually feel so unwell that they cannot travel and infection requires direct contact with the body fluids of the infected person.

“Most infections in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, are taking place in the community when family members or friends take care of someone who is ill or when funeral preparation and burial ceremonies do not follow strict infection prevention and control measures,” it stated.

It said a second important place where transmission could occur is in clinics and other health care settings, when health care workers, patients, and other persons have unprotected contact with a person who is infected.

“In Nigeria, cases are related only to persons who had direct contact with a single traveller who was hospitalized upon arrival in Lagos,” it said.

“It is important to note that a person who is infected is only able to spread the virus to others after the infected person has started to have symptoms.”

The statement said a person usually has no symptoms for two to 21 days (the “incubation period”), symptoms include fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat and this is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, and in some cases, bleeding.

It said the risk of a traveller becoming infected with the Ebola virus during a visit to the affected countries and developing disease after returning is very low, even if the visit includes travel to areas in which cases have been reported.

“If a person, including a traveller, stayed in the areas where Ebola cases have been recently reported, he/she should seek medical attention at the first sign of illness (fever, headache, achiness, sore throat, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, rash, red eyes, and in some cases, bleeding). Early treatment can improve prognosis,” the statement said.

“Strengthening international cooperation is needed, and should support action to contain the virus, stop transmission to other countries and mitigate the effects in those affected.”

It said affected countries are requested to conduct exit screening of all persons at international airports, seaports and major land crossings, for unexplained febrile illness consistent with potential Ebola infection.

It noted that any person with an illness consistent with EVD should not be allowed to travel unless the travel is part of an appropriate medical evacuation.