Despite the ongoing Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, the World Health Organization has not issued any flight or travel restrictions, nor did they advise to close off borders in the affected areas.
The International Air Transport Association has been in dialogue with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Aviation Agency, ICAO, to seek advice regarding growing public concern over the death of a passenger who took a flight from Liberia to Nigeria, with a layover at the city of Lomé. It was later on determined that the man had died because he was infected with the Ebola virus.
In a statement issued by the IATA, the public was advised that the World Health Organization has specified that a person infected with the Ebola virus that is unknowingly transported by air has a low risk of transmitting the disease to the other passengers on the same flight. Typically, the virus is transmitted when the patients are already manifesting severe symptoms of infection. At the early stages, infected patients will experience fever, muscle pain, weakness, sore throat, and headaches. The next stage would usually involve vomiting and diarrhea, as well as impaired liver and kidney functions. At the most critical stages of the Ebola infection, patients will already be showing signs of external and internal bleeding. The IATA says that it is highly unlikely that a patient suffering such severe symptoms would still feel compelled to travel at this stage.
Nevertheless, the World Health Organization is still considering recommendations from the ICAO to improve passenger screening at worldwide ports, and are considering updating their travel advisory on passenger screening within the next few days. Meanwhile, they are also looking to obtain relevant data and information from both the Airports Council International and The World Tourism Organization.