Ebola Not Airborne, WHO Reiterates

The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday reiterated
its position that the risk of transmission of Ebola virus
disease during air travel remains low.
“Unlike infections such as influenza or tuberculosis, Ebola
is not airborne,” says Dr Isabelle Nuttall, Director of WHO
Global Capacity Alert and Response in a release on
Thursday.
“It can only be transmitted by direct contact with the
body fluids of a person who is sick with the disease.”
According to the UN health agency, on the small chance
that someone on the plane is sick with Ebola, the
likelihood of other passengers and crew having contact
with their body fluids is even smaller. Usually when
someone is sick with Ebola, they are so unwell that they
cannot travel. WHO therefore advised against travel bans
to and from affected countries.
“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,” says Dr Nuttall.
In early August, after the meeting of the Ebola Emergency
Committee under the International Health Regulations,
WHO provided advice to countries to help contain the
current Ebola outbreak and prevent it from spreading
further. The body therefore recommended that no ban
should be placed on international travel or trade; that
countries be prepared to detect, investigate, and manage
Ebola cases, including access to a qualified diagnostic
laboratory for Ebola virus and, where appropriate, the
capacity to identify and care for travellers originating from
known Ebola-infected areas who arrive at international
airports or major land crossing points with unexplained
fever and other symptoms.
WHO therefore said countries across the globe should
provide their citizens traveling to Ebola-affected countries
with accurate and relevant information on the Ebola
outbreak and measures to reduce the risk of exposure.