F lights operated by Korean Air to Nairobi — typically three times per week — will be suspended starting on Thursday, August 21, 2014 to help prevent the further spread of the Ebola virus, according to an article written by Ben Mutzabaugh of USA TODAY.
This is because the government of Kenya supposedly has not banned air travelers from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone — the nations most affected by the outbreak of the Ebola virus — unlike Côte d’Ivoire did this past Monday.
According to this article written by Sneha Shankar of International Business Times, a state of emergency was declared in Guinea as the overall deaths caused by the Ebola virus increased to 1,069 — 377 of those in Guinea; and the number of infected cases have risen to 1,975 — 510 in Guinea.
The World Health Organisation has declared a global health emergency pertaining to the Ebola virus, which has a case fatality rate of up to 90 percent — and no licensed vaccine is currently available.
Reducing the risk of contracting the Ebola virus should focus on several factors, according to the World Health Organization:
- Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission from contact with infected fruit bats or monkeys/apes and the consumption of their raw meat. Animals should be handled with gloves and other appropriate protective clothing. Animal products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
- Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission in the community arising from direct or close contact with infected patients, particularly with their bodily fluids. Close physical contact with Ebola patients should be avoided. Gloves and appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn when taking care of ill patients at home. Regular hand washing is required after visiting patients in hospital, as well as after taking care of patients at home.
- Communities affected by Ebola should inform the population about the nature of the disease and about outbreak containment measures, including burial of the dead. People who have died from Ebola should be promptly and safely buried.
In response to number two listed above, I gave some suggestions pertaining to the proper way to wash your hands in this article.
Flights to Sierra Leone and Liberia operated by British Airways — as well as flights to Guinea operated by Emirates Airline — have already been suspended earlier this month.
Expect more airlines to suspend flights to aforementioned and additional destinations to help curtail the spread of the Ebola virus.
While it may be best to avoid travel to several nations in West Africa altogether in order to avoid contracting the Ebola virus, if you must travel there, check with your airline to ensure that it still serves that area with flights; and follow the recommended precautions listed above by the World Health Organization.
