ID :
58665
Sun, 05/03/2009 - 14:39
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/58665
The shortlink copeid
Airport scanners check for signs of swine flu
More than 20,000 passengers arriving at the capital’s airport from countries affected by swine flu have been screened in the past two days, but so far, everyone has tested normal according to a report in "The National".
On leaving the aircraft, passengers are channelled through a cordoned-off area where medical staff in face masks operate two infrared scanners which project colour-coded images on screens.
Anyone who scans red will be taken aside for further tests, although all of those screened so far have given normal readings. But while the tests are carried out on passengers whose journeys originate in affected countries, which include Canada and New Zealand, they are not routinely conducted on citizens of those countries who have travelled from elsewhere. However, random checks are carried out on passengers from all flights.
The machines, costing more than US$50,000 (Dh184,000), are already in use in Australia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand and Cambodia. Dr Nizam Ali Khan, the supervisor of the airport medical clinic, said they would flag any temperature over 38°C.
“Anything above that we would put someone aside. Then we reconfirm it with manual thermometers.”
Yesterday, a meeting of the Co-operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also attended by Yemen, discussed measures to be taken against swine flu, the state news agency WAM reported.
In Mexico the number of suspected deaths from swine flu has been cut to 101, with no new fatalities reported yesterday. Only one person elsewhere is known to have died from the disease. In addition to Mexico, cases have been reported in Canada, China, South Korea, New Zealand, Israel, the United States and eight European nations. – The National
On leaving the aircraft, passengers are channelled through a cordoned-off area where medical staff in face masks operate two infrared scanners which project colour-coded images on screens.
Anyone who scans red will be taken aside for further tests, although all of those screened so far have given normal readings. But while the tests are carried out on passengers whose journeys originate in affected countries, which include Canada and New Zealand, they are not routinely conducted on citizens of those countries who have travelled from elsewhere. However, random checks are carried out on passengers from all flights.
The machines, costing more than US$50,000 (Dh184,000), are already in use in Australia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand and Cambodia. Dr Nizam Ali Khan, the supervisor of the airport medical clinic, said they would flag any temperature over 38°C.
“Anything above that we would put someone aside. Then we reconfirm it with manual thermometers.”
Yesterday, a meeting of the Co-operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also attended by Yemen, discussed measures to be taken against swine flu, the state news agency WAM reported.
In Mexico the number of suspected deaths from swine flu has been cut to 101, with no new fatalities reported yesterday. Only one person elsewhere is known to have died from the disease. In addition to Mexico, cases have been reported in Canada, China, South Korea, New Zealand, Israel, the United States and eight European nations. – The National
