SUVARNABHUMI Airport has begun screening arrivals from DR Congo for symptoms of Ebola after the deadly virus began spreading from neighbouring Uganda.
All foreign arrivals who have been to DR Congo in the past 21 days must undergo thermal scanning and provide their travel history and their address and telephone number in Thailand. They will also receive a health card for self-monitoring that contains contact numbers in case of an emergency.
Suvarnabhumi is screening DR Congo arrivals for symptoms of body temperature over 38˚C, fever, headache, muscle ache, sore throat or fatigue.
Travellers who display these symptoms will be tested, monitored or sent to Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Bangkok, according to the Disease Control Department.
Ebola is a severe and often fatal virus transmitted through contact with the blood, secretions or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with contaminated surfaces and materials such as bedsheets.
There have been no cases of Ebola reported so far in Thailand, said DDC acting director general Thares Krainairawiwong.
However, the DDC recommends that Thailand residents planning to travel to DR Congo or Uganda to avoid the following:
> Touching wild animals.
> Eating wild animals, especially monkeys and bats.
> Touching bodily fluids or personal items of suspected Ebola patients.
> Touching patients without protective gear.
Travellers returning from Uganda or DR Congo should visit a hospital immediately if they develop symptoms such as high fever, fatigue, headache, muscle ache, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhoea.
On Monday, Uganda found nine more Ebola cases in the capital Kampala, bringing the number of infections in the last two days to 14, Reuters reported.
Uganda has reported 90 confirmed and probable cases since the start of the outbreak on Sept 20, including at least 44 deaths. — The Nation/ANN
