Ebola surveillance stepped up at Kochi airport after emergency meet

Key points

• Authorities stepped up Ebola surveillance and precautionary measures at the Kochi international airport in Kerala on Friday following an emergency preparedness meeting between management and the Airport Health Organisation.
• A Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) spokesperson said a 24-hour monitoring system has now been activated at the airport as part of efforts to detect possible symptoms early and strengthen coordinated public health response measures.
• “Thermal screening, 21-day travel history verification, and self-declaration forms have been made mandatory for international passengers,” he said in a statement after the meeting.
• Passengers arriving from countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan will be placed under special health surveillance in view of global alerts over Ebola outbreaks, authorities said.
• The meeting was attended by Airport Director Manu G, Airport Health Officer Dr Raphael Teddy, Senior Medical Officer Dr Aysha Manika K A, and representatives from CISF, Immigration, airlines, the...