KARACHI: Authorities at Jinnah International Airport have increased Ebola screening and health monitoring for international passengers before the return of Hajj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia.
Health officials said the airport now follows stricter safety measures to reduce the risk of the virus entering Pakistan through international travel. The new arrangements mainly focus on passengers arriving from African countries affected by Ebola outbreaks and pilgrims returning from Jeddah after Hajj.
Dr. Syed Zafar Mehdi said health workers now examine passengers through scanners and thermal guns at the airport. Medical teams look for symptoms such as high fever, skin rashes, and red spots on the body.
Officials said any passenger showing possible Ebola symptoms will immediately move to the Sindh Government Infectious Diseases Hospital for medical tests and isolation. Doctors will keep suspected patients in isolation until test results confirm their condition. The Sindh Health Department also trained airport staff to identify Ebola symptoms and manage emergency screening procedures effectively.
Officials placed emergency ambulances at the airport to transfer suspected patients quickly for treatment and isolation. Health authorities completed these preparations after global concerns increased over the recent Ebola outbreak.
Meanwhile, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the current Ebola outbreak has already caused hundreds of suspected deaths.
He said delayed detection has made containment efforts more difficult for health teams worldwide. Pakistani health authorities now continue monitoring the situation closely to protect travelers and prevent possible virus transmission during the Hajj return season.
