Yangon airport on high alert for Ebola
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All passengers arriving at Yangon International Airport will be screened by heat detectors, as the authorities step up efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola virus into the country.
Aside from the heat detectors, the Health Ministry also uses infrared guns in the process, which is carried out at all terminals. All passengers showing signs of high fever will be rushed to hospitals for medical checks and treatment.
Yangon International Airport is the country’s main gateway, catering to about 3 million local and foreign passengers each year.
“The heat detector is used to check fever. Those with high fever will be screened again by the infrared gun,” said an official from the ministry who asked not to be named.
“We will record the patients’ addresses and pass them to township health centres, for further health watch.”
He added that as of August 5, the ministry had found no passenger with suspicious symptoms.
Some airlines like British Airways have cancelled flights to Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Between July 31 and August 1, 163 new Ebola cases and 61 deaths were reported in some West African countries as Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
Authorities in many countries have stepped up efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. Airports of Thailand, which operates Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang International Airport, also has preventive measures in place. Nearly half of foreign visitors to Myanmar catch flights from Bangkok.
