started temperature screening passengers arriving from places at risk
from Ebola and had suspended pan-African airline Asky for bringing the
first case to Lagos.
Ebola has been blamed for 729 deaths in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone
and Nigeria, according to the World Health Organization. One died in
Lagos, a crowded city of 21 million people with some of Africa's worst
sanitation and health care.
"Screening and monitoring is being done at all major international
airports. It entails checking passengers' temperatures with a
hand-held machine," NCAA spokesman Sam Adurogboye said, adding this
meant for any journey that passed through Liberia, Guinea or Sierra
Leone.
A compulsory blood test would follow if the passenger's temperature
gave cause for concern, he said.
International airlines association IATA said the WHO was not
recommending any travel restrictions or border closures due to the
outbreak, and says there would be a low risk to other passengers if an
Ebola patient flew.
Patrick Sawyer, a consultant for Liberia's Finance Ministry in his
40s, collapsed on arrival at Lagos airport on July 20 on an Asky
flight. He was put in isolation at the First Consultants Hospital in
Obalende, one of the most crowded parts of the city, but died early on
July 25.
"We have suspended Asky until they are able to show us what measures
they have put in place for passengers to ensure they do not bring
Ebola," Adurogboye said.
He said the largest Airline Arik Air was being told to maintain its
self-imposed suspension of all flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone for
the time being.
Authorities were monitoring 59 people who were in contact with Sawyer,
including airport contacts, and are seeking to make contact with all
passengers that were on his flight.
The latest outbreak of the hemorrhagic fever began in the forests of
remote eastern Guinea in February. It starts with headaches and fever,
and final stage symptoms include external and internal bleeding,
vomiting and diarrhea.
Sierra Leone declared a state of emergency and called in troops to
quarantine epicenters of Ebola on Thursday.
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