Port of Gothenburg takes extra precautions for ships from West Africa
Each year, ships arrive at the Port of Gothenburg from the Ebola-hit area in West Africa. Extra precautions have been taken when dealing with these ships, the company said in its press release.
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.
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.
Thomas Fransson continued: "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."
