Ebola travel bans rejected

Friday August 15th, 2014

There is no need for travel bans on countries affected by the Ebola virus outbreak, health officials said yesterday.

Some of the West African countries involved in the outbreak have faced loss of access to the outside world.

But the World Health Organisation said there should be no bans on travel or trade.

It said the risk of a passenger passing on the virus on a plane was "low".

Its experts said people affected by the virus were unlikely to attempt to travel.

Dr Isabelle Nuttall, from WHO, said: “Unlike infections such as influenza or tuberculosis, Ebola is not airborne. It can only be transmitted by direct contact with the body fluids of a person who is sick with the disease.

“Because the risk of Ebola transmission on airplanes is so low, WHO does not consider air transport hubs at high risk for further spread of Ebola.”

Tags: Africa | Flu & Viruses | Traveller Health | World Health

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