A fresh outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo has triggered reactions from the Nigerian government as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) yesterday said it has stepped up its surveillance across international airports across the country to ward off the possible entry of passengers infected with the virus into the country.
Spokeswoman for FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, in a statement said all relevant agencies, including the Port Health Services, have been mobilised and are collaborating effectively to ensure the safety of passengers and airport users at all times.
This was the Federal Government on Wednesday ordered managers across the nation’s airports, seaports and land borders to step up security and surveillance, especially on persons coming into the country from Congo or any of its neighbouring countries.
Yakubu, however, said since the first recorded case of the virus in Nigeria, through an American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, in 2014, FAAN has not relaxed its surveillance on incoming passengers from overseas at the airports to forestall any similar re-occurrence.
“All the equipment and personnel used in combatting the virus in 2014 are still very much at the airports,” Yakubu said. “We have always had thermal scanners in our airports that monitor temperature of passengers and capture their pictures. We still have hand sanitisers in our restrooms too.
-Sun
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