International passenger throughput at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) has been steadily rising, as the deadly Ebola epidemic that plagued the West African region is brought under control.
Latest Ghana Airports Company figures show a steady rise in passenger numbers. This is largely attributable to containment of the disease in affected countries.
International arrivals, according to the data, increased from 63,000 in September 2014 to about 73,000 in November 2015. This represents an increase of more than 13 percent.
The start of the epidemic — which was concentrated in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone in March 2014, with a few isolated cases that were contained in Nigeria — led to a drastic drop in international passenger arrivals for business and tourism in the sub-region, with dire consequences for the bottom line of airlines
Indeed, some airlines were forced to cancel hundreds of flights while others suspended operations altogether. International airlines servicing the KIA also recorded a more than 22 percent drop in passenger numbers at the outbreak’s peak.
Airlines operating between 60 and 70-seat aircraft from Accra to Liberia and Sierra Leone lost an estimated US$250,000 per week due to the suspension of flights to countries hit by the deadly disease.
Given the number of people coming into the country through the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), there have been concerns about measures being put in place to screen incoming passengers from affected countries.
Airport health authorities stationed at the KIA created an isolation centre and distributed gloves and nose-masks to immigration officials. Officials were supplied with hand-held, or large advanced, temperature-scanning machines used to properly screen incoming passengers.
The Ebola virus disease (EVD) — formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever — is a severe, often fatal, illness in humans. It has a case fatality rate of up to 90%.
The source of virus’ outbreak in West Africa was transmission to people from wild animals, and spread in the human population through human-to-human transmission.
Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. Patients are frequently dehydrated and require oral rehydration with solutions containing electrolytes, or intravenous fluids.
Relics of Ebola
The after-effect of the Ebola outbreak in the region is Ghana’s tightening of port health systems for disease surveillance, identification and containment. Screening passengers by using temperature-scanning machines has come to stay.
The Ebola treatment centre sited at the Kotoka International enclave is still in place and under the control of health authorities stationed at the KIA
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