Ebola Keeps Gothenburg Port Vigilant

Ebola Keeps Gothenburg Port Vigilant
Port of Gothenburg

Since the beginning of the year, there has been an Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Of the 11,000 ships that call at the Port of Gothenburg each year, a small number come from ports in the affected areas. The port is taking extra precautions when dealing with these ships, the company said in its press release.


Thomas Fransson, Head of Security and the person responsible for quarantine at the Port of Gothenburg, said: “To ensure that staff handling these calls feel secure, we have taken extra precautions over and above what is stipulated in the international regulations. This includes close contact with the Institute for Infectious Disease Control and direct contact with the ships before they put into port.”

The Ebola virus is not airborne but is spread by direct contact with body fluids. Consequently, freight cannot generally be a carrier of the infection.

If it is suspected that the crew on board a ship have been infected, the harbour master is contacted and he in turn informs the Institute for Infectious Disease Control and the National Board of Health and Welfare.

“If someone is sick on arrival it is very serious and the duty infectious disease doctor will be contacted immediately. Special transport will then be sent to collect the infected person and other members of the crew,” Fransson said.

[mappress]
Press Release; September 11, 2014