EBOLA FEARS: Ghana Bans Flights From Nigeria, Others
Following the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, Ghana airport authority has officially banned flights from Nigeria and three other West African countries.
According to a statement released on Friday, 1st August, 2014, by Charles Asare, Managing Director of the Ghana Airport Company, flights were banned from Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria.
Asare cited concerns about the rapid spread of the Ebola virus, which has claimed over 700 lives, for the reason flights from the four countries were banned with the immediate effect.
He also stated that the measure was part of a set of emergency management plans officials are rolling out to combat the spread of the virus.
It would be recalled that aviation authority in Nigeria had some days ago banned flights from Sierra Leone and Liberia from landing within its territory.
Asare also informed that Ghanaian government has also implemented strict restrictions on the movement and management of Liberian refugees in camps in the country.
Commenting on the outbreak of Ebola disease and the measures being taken by the Ghanaian government to prevent its spread to the country, Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah, urged Ghanaians to bear with the government as they work to contain the virus.
"Preparedness is not an event but a process," he said.
The World Health Organisation, WHO, on Thursday, 30 July, 2014, warned that if the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is not properly controlled that it could spread to other countries.
* Health workers carrying the corpse of a victim of Ebola
Only last week, Nigeria recorded its first case of the deadly disease through a Liberian man who arrived Lagos for further participation in ECOWAS meeting. He was discovered to be carrying the Ebola virus.
The man, identified as Patrick Sawyer, reportedly died in a hospital in Obalende area of Lagos State less than 24 hours later after developing severe illness.
Source: Legit.ng
