Ebola surveillance stepped up at Kochi airport after emergency meet

Health surveillance and precautionary protocols to prevent the spread of Ebola virus have been intensified at the Cochin International Airport.

The decision to step up preventive measures was taken at an emergency preparedness meeting convened jointly by Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) and the Airport Health Organisation (APHO) in view of the global alert over Ebola outbreaks. The meeting decided to strengthen passenger monitoring systems for the early detection of symptoms and reinforce coordinated public health response measures at the airport, according to an official release issued on Friday (May 22).

As part of the enhanced surveillance protocol, a 24x7 monitoring system will be activated at the airport. Thermal screening and 21-day travel history verification have been introduced for international passengers. Passengers arriving from countries including Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan will be placed under special health surveillance, the release said.