Gambia Bird flight passenger died shortly she landed at Gatwick airport in London on Saturday, raising fears about the presence of Ebola in the Gambia.
With the help of the United Nations, the Gambia government had been making preparations for possible Ebola outbreak.
According to United Kingdom authorities, test for Ebola carried out on the dead female passenger turned out negative on Sunday afternoon. There were no symptoms of Ebola found on the woman but the prevalence of the deadly virus in West Africa had forced UK health authorities to carry out the test.
The woman, believed to be in the 70s, collapsed at the airport and later pronounced dead in hospital.
The Gambia Bird aircraft and staff were isolated as a precaution until the flight was cleared for its return journey. UK authorities said there was no reason to quarantine the airplane, the passengers or staff.
“There was no health risk to other passengers or crew, as the passenger did not have symptoms during the flight,” the Director of Global Public Health in England, Dr. Brian Mccloskey, told BBC.
Due to Ebola fight, the presidents of Sierra Leone and Liberia pulled out of the first US-Africa summit hosted by President Barack Obama in Washington D.C. this week.
Ebola has so far killed 728 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone this year. The virus spreads through human contact with the victim’s bodily fluids. Its initial flu-like symptoms can lead to external harmorrhaging from eyes and gums. It can also lead to internal bleeding which can lead to organ failure. Ebola has 55% mortality rate.
Gambia Bird Airlines confirmed the Gatwick incident, reassuring its continuous willingness to work “closely with the public health and aviation authorities throughout West Africa, in the UK and internationally to take every possible precaution against allowing passengers who may exhibit symptoms of Ebola infection from boarding our aircraft. We have also enhanced our inflight procedures to further minimise the chances of infection.
“We will continue to act on the advice of the relevant authorities and our procedures remain under constant review. In the meantime, our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who was taken ill on Saturday, and we offer them our heartfelt condolences.”
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports speak of the presence of Ebola in the Gambia. Sources said two suspected cases have been reported at the Sir Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul. We will pursue the story and keep our readers posted on developments.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28634903
Ends
Ebola is real, Gambia need to act fast. I hope Oga Jammeh will not claim to have cure for deadly Ebola.
I pray that Gambia does not have Ebola.
May Allah forbid! We can’t handle Yaya Jammeh moreso Ebola.
He will just fire officials thinking that will solve the problem . This is what happens when a village idiot leads a nation.
Kaironews, don’t raise false alarm about Ebola in The Gambia. Be sure first before reporting as any report of the presence of Ebola in Gambia can have ramifications on aviation and the tourism industry. Think about the people who depend on these sectors for a living.
Thanks
Lafia, the story was published by BBC news online: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28634903, kairo news only provide our analysis and thoughts, as it was a Gambian elder who alerted us to the case. Our country like all other African countries don’t deserve Ebola, however, it is a virus that is spreading and causing havoc.
We shouldn’t be so worried about tourism and the industry more than the lives of people. May God shield our people from this deadly virus. Ameen.
The BBC did not talk of unconfirmed reports of Ebola in The Gambia which is what you did. They only said a passenger from The Gambia who died at the airport was tested for Ebola but was negative.
Thanks
Lafia, come on. Kairo has gone extra mile by adding a great piece of ingredients to the story. For instance, they reported Gambia Bird statement and even Gambia government’s preparedness, which were not reported by BBC. Do you expect team Kairo to publish BBC story verbatim? After reading the Kairo story, an unnamed doctor called freedom radio talking about two Ebola cases at RVH. Kairo piece stands out right until Gambia government comes clean.
A Saudi man dies of Ebola, this is spreading for real. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28673380
Samba sowe, all I said is that kaironews should not talk about the presence of Ebola in The Gambia unless there are absolutely sure about it for otherwise, they may be raising a false alarm which can have negative consequences on the country and her people.
I only mentioned bbc in response to suntou touray. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t bother me if they don’t quote bbc at all.
By the way, the bbc did not talk about the presence of Ebola in Gambia.
Thanks
And also, Ebola is not about politics but human lives. As a proud Gambian whose people are insulted and threatened by Kunkenpeleng Foday Alfonso Jemus Junkung Yahya jammeh, I am more desperate form change than you because I do not want calamity to befall my people in The Gambia.
Thanks