Originally published October 1 2014
CDC warns domestic airlines to treat all bodily fluids as Ebola-contaminated
by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
(NaturalNews) With the official death count from Ebola now nearing 3,000, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging all airlines, both foreign and domestic, to keep a close eye on passengers who might be ill with the disease. The agency says that all bodily fluids should now be assumed to contain the Ebola virus, and be treated as such during routine cleanings.
Issued on September 19, the new CDC guidelines warn that airlines can deny travel to anyone suspected of having "serious contagious diseases that could spread during flight." This applies to all flights, including those flying just within the States. Cabin crews are being advised to take possible infections seriously, and to always use personal protective equipment during flights.
"Infected blood or other body fluids can spread Ebola through breaks in your skin or if they get into your eyes, nose, or mouth," reads the CDC guidance. "Treat any body fluid as though it is infectious."
Travelers with fever, headache, muscle pain, unexplained bleeding or bruising could be denied flight
Flight attendants should actively look for signs of possible Ebola infection, says the CDC. Symptoms of the disease include fever, severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and unexplained bleeding or bruising. If a passenger visits the lavatory several times during a flight, he or she is also suspect, according to the directive.
"Cabin crew should follow routine infection control precautions for all travelers who become sick during flight, including managing travelers with respiratory illness to reduce the number of droplets released into the air," warns the CDC.
If a passenger is suspected of having Ebola, flight crews are being instructed to keep that person separate from the other passengers as much as possible. If that passenger came from one of the outbreak countries, flight crews are advised to also wear surgical masks, face shields or goggles, and a protective apron or gown.
"Cabin crew should notify the airline's ground and cleaning crews about any ill traveler on board an aircraft so that preparations can be made to clean the aircraft after passengers have disembarked," the agency adds.
Doctor says all travelers entering US should be tested for Ebola
Despite the new warnings, Dr. Jorge Rodriguez, a board-certified internal medicine specialist, says more needs to be done to prevent the spread of Ebola. He told The Blaze during a radio interview that every traveler entering the U.S. should be mandatorily tested for the disease, at least until things start to slow down a bit.
The CDC is advising all healthcare facilities in the U.S. to get prepared now to deal with a potential outbreak here in the States. The agency recently published a preparedness "checklist" that recommends more training for healthcare workers, improved laboratory collection and analysis procedures, updated procedures and guidelines, and designated points of contact in healthcare facilities for communication between officials and healthcare workers.
Natural News has also put together an online pandemic preparedness course at BioDefense.com, with helpful information about how to boost your immune system and avoid succumbing to a viral pathogen like Ebola:
BioDefense.com.
"What is not getting said publicly, despite briefings and discussions in the inner circles of the world's public health agencies, is that we are in totally uncharted waters and that Mother Nature is the only force in charge of the crisis at this time," stated Michael T. Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, to The New York Times (NYT).
Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov
http://www.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.theblaze.com
http://www.theblaze.com
http://www.biodefense.com
http://www.nytimes.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
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