Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports have no plans for Ebola screening

Both airports confirm that screening is not planned but the situation is being closely monitored.

DUBAI // The major airports are not planning to screen arriving passengers for the potentially fatal Ebola virus.

But Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport say that although screening for the disease is not planned, the situation is being closely followed.

“We continue to monitor the situation closely and maintain ongoing contact with UAE health authorities who, along with the World Health Organisation, are the governing authorities and experts in this area,” a Dubai airport spokesman said.

“As per their instruction and recommendation, we do not have any screening measures in place at the moment.

“We do have resources and protocols in place to deal with a situation with any passengers displaying symptoms at the airport.”

Abu Dhabi airport is also closely following recommendations, from the Health Authority Abu Dhabi.

“Abu Dhabi International Airport has procedures and protocols in place as per the guidelines of Health Authority Abu Dhabi,” a spokesman said.

“We are closely working with them to monitor development and activate the needed protocols. At the moment, all screening and operations remains normal.”

Screenings of passengers from west African countries began at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport on Saturday.

Authorities in the US have also announced plans to begin screening airline passengers at four more airports from Thursday this week.

Thomas Eric Duncan was the first death from the disease in the US, on October 7, but since then the Dallas healthcare worker who helped to treat him has also tested positive.

The Ebola outbreak began in west Africa and first came to light in March.

The WHO says 4,033 people have died of the disease as of October 7.

But the organisation has admitted the true number of deaths could be much higher. The outbreak has centred around Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

The first symptoms of Ebola infection include intense weakness, sudden fever, muscle pain and a sore throat. This can lead to vomiting, diarrhoea and internal and external bleeding.

The virus can spread from human to human through contact with bodily fluids.