Airport temperature checks offer comfort but won’t catch Ebola – Prof Amuasi

Prof John Amuasi, Global Health Lead at the KCC, has warned that airport temperature checks are ineffective at catching Ebola cases. Speaking on Joy News' PM Express, he emphasized that while these measures provide reassurance to travelers, they are not sufficient for detecting infected passengers. Prof Amuasi suggested that accurate passenger records and reliable methods to trace arrivals should be prioritized by Ghana.

He pointed out that visibly sick individuals with Ebola symptoms are unlikely to board flights, which limits the ability of officials to detect such cases upon arrival. Prof Amuasi stressed the need for testing capabilities, noting that conducting PCR tests for all incoming passengers is not currently feasible. The warning comes as Nigeria and Kenya are responding to Ebola cases.

Nigeria reported an imported case in Abuja on October 20, which developed symptoms four days later, leading authorities to identify 53 contacts for follow-up. Kenya has recorded nine confirmed cases, including two deaths, all linked to its first imported case. Ghana's priority, according to Prof Amuasi, should be collecting precise data on every passenger arriving in the country, ensuring that their phone numbers are accurate and implementing a system to verify this information.

He also advocated for ways to locate travelers when necessary, ensuring they know which facilities to visit and contact if they develop symptoms. Education should focus on informing passengers about reporting illness after leaving the airport. While visible measures like alcohol rubs and temperature checks offer some comfort to travelers, Prof Amuasi emphasized that they are not very effective in catching Ebola cases.