Assessment of the potential for international dissemination of Ebola virus via commercial air travel during the 2014 west African outbreak.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The WHO declared the 2014 west African Ebola epidemic a public health emergency of international concern in view of its potential for further international spread. Decision makers worldwide are in need of empirical data to inform and implement emergency response measures. Our aim was to assess the potential for Ebola virus to spread across international borders via commercial air travel and assess the relative efficiency of exit versus entry screening of travellers at commercial airports.

Methods

We analysed International Air Transport Association data for worldwide flight schedules between Sept 1, 2014, and Dec 31, 2014, and historic traveller flight itinerary data from 2013 to describe expected global population movements via commercial air travel out of Guinea,

SUBMITTER: Bogoch II 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4286618 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature