In view of concerns about the potential spread of the Ebola virus, authorities have now stepped up health checks and monitoring for international arrivals at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
Extra measures are being implemented before Hajj pilgrims start returning from Saudi Arabia.
Health officials mentioned that the increased monitoring will focus on passengers coming from abroad, particularly from African nations where Ebola outbreaks have occurred, as well as pilgrims coming back from Jeddah during the Hajj season.
The return of pilgrims is expected to start on the third day of Eid ul Azha.
Dr. Syed Zafar Mehdi, the Provincial Health Department’s representative at Karachi airport, stated that viruses can cross borders through travelers, especially from countries currently experiencing Ebola outbreaks.
He noted that specialised staff have been assigned at the airport to check incoming passengers using scanners and thermal guns.
Dr. Mehdi explained that any passenger showing a high fever or noticeable skin rashes, such as red spots, would be referred for further medical evaluation at the Sindh Government Infectious Diseases Hospital in NIPA.
He mentioned that these suspected cases would be kept in isolation until their test results are available.
He also added that the Sindh Health Department has finalised precautionary and emergency measures at Jinnah International Airport in response to the recent global declaration regarding the spread of Ebola as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Read more: Airport screening begins in Pakistan after Ebola outbreak
