BANGKOK, Oct 27 — The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is alert to the possible entry of Ebola to Thailand and has deployed staff at Don Mueang Airport and the Bangkok Port to screen visitors and to educate local communities on Ebola symptoms.
BMA spokesperson Threedow Aphaiwongs said that today officials discussed precautions to screen out Ebola as so many people were entering and exiting Bangkok.
The authorities ordered the BMA Health Department to establish a surveillance system, formed two working groups headed by the Bangkok governor and issued special measures.
Under the measures, visitors entering Don Mueang Airport and the Bangkok Port are screened.
Under close watch are those arriving from 45 countries with Ebola risks including three countries suffering from severe epidemics. They are questioned and monitored for 21 days.
Ill visitors must be sent to hospitals for examination. As Suvarnabhumi Airport is in Samut Prakan province, the BMA sent its staff to work with Ministry of Public Health officials for the same task.
In local communities, BMA staff ask local residents, volunteers and business operators to look for those with symptoms and inform the Health Department such persons.
BMA staff have found 1,089 visitors from countries with Ebola epidemics. Of them, 11 people came from countries with severe epidemics and eight of the 11 persons remain in Bangkok, but none are ill.
