Ebola: Ghana bans flights from Nigeria, Liberia, others

Ghana has banned flights from Nigeria and other West African countries, following the death of a Liberian victim of the deadly Ebola virus in the country.

A report in allafrica.com quotes the Managing Director, Ghana Airport Company, Charles Asare, as saying it was part of elaborate emergency measures the authorities were implementing to prevent the virus from spreading into the West African country.

Ghana is the first country to officially incorporate Nigeria in the obnoxious list of countries which contacts with their citizens are restricted as part of measures to contain the spread of the Ebola virus, which has been ravaging three countries of West Africa – Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia since February.

Death toll from this deadly virus has topped 700, which is the highest ever from the outbreaks of the virus which was discovered decades ago.

The United States only on Thursday issued travel advisory to its citizens travelling to West Africa, and only warned about the concerns of the virus in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The only known case of death from the virus in Nigeria was the Liberian who flew through different ports before arriving Nigeria. The Federal Government said it had taken necessary precaution to isolate and watch or quarantine all those who had contact with the deceased Liberian.

According to the report, restrictions have been imposed on the movement of Liberian refugees who are still at the Buduburam Refugee Camp in the country.

Ever since its outbreak, the Ebola virus has claimed the lives of over 600 victims in the West African sub-region.

Ghana also bans flight from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Ghana's Health Ministry also announced that efforts were underway to establish Ebola treatment centres across the country.

The country's Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah, advised Ghanaians to be patient because government was doing its best to protect the citizens.

“It is worth bearing in mind that preparedness is not an event but a process,” he said.

Though a suspected fever case which was reported at a clinic in Ghana was negative, Ghanaians have expressed fear about the possible spread of the disease in the country due to closeness to the four countries where deaths have been recorded.

Governments in the sub-region are putting in place stringent measures to prevent the further spread of the disease.

According to the health minister, the disease surveillance system in Ghana has been placed on “high alert through intensification of viral haemorrhagic fever surveillance, the field officers are on the alert to pick, package and transport specimens to the lab for confirmation.”

The respective health officers at Ghana's ports have been given orientation in the detection of cases at points of entry.

“We have activated a system for screening all passengers especially from countries that have recorded cases,” Agyeman-Mensah added. The health minister gave the assurance that his outfit was monitoring the progression of the Ebola disease in West African nations.