#Thailand - Seven more airports opened for domestic flights

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has added seven airports to the list of airports that are allowed to reopen for domestic flights, effective from Saturday (June 6).

CAAT director-general Chula Sukmanop announced on Friday (June 5) that the seven airports include Tak, Trad, Nakhon Ratchasima, Narathiwat, Pai, Phetchabun and Sukhothai.

“The CAAT decided to open these airports in compliance with the government’s easing of lockdown measures to tackle Covid-19,” he said. “The opening hours of these airports will be restricted to between 6am and 8pm.”

According to CAAT list, airports that are open for domestic flights are: Khon Kaen, Chumphon, Tak, Trad, Trang, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan Nakhon, Narathiwat, Buri Ram, Pai, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Phrae, Mae Sot, Mae Hong Son, Ranong, Roi Et, Loei, Lampang, Sakon Nakhon, Sukhothai, Udon Thani and Ubon Ratchathani.

The following airports are open for domestic and international flights: Krabi, Chiang Mai, Don Mueang, Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai, Samui, Suvarnabhumi, Surat Thani, Hat Yai, Hua Hin and U-Tapao.

Source - The Nation

Airports ramp up health monitoring amid Chinese pneumonia outbreak

Airport authorities in Greater Jakarta will increase health monitoring of passengers on international flights from China and Hong Kong amid growing concern about a pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, in eastern China.

According to a circular issued by the health office of Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, earlier this month, authorities will enforce a number of prevention and monitoring measures on passengers landing at the airport, as well as Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in East Jakarta.

All airlines serving direct or transit flights from China and Hong Kong were advised to immediately provide health documents in the form of general declarations, as well as passenger manifests to the officials in the health office.

“Passengers coming from countries with reported cases of pneumonia infection will be screened by thermal scanner as well as syndromic surveillance,” says the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post.

The office also recommended that all people working in the airport wear protective devices to reduce the chance of infection from people suspected of being infected by the disease.

“If you suffer from fever, cough or throat problems, contact medical personnel immediately,” the health office wrote in the circular.

The Indonesian Society of Respirology (PDPI) warned in a statement issued last Friday that people traveling to countries with outbreaks of the disease should wear masks at all times.

“After returning from places with outbreaks, immediately consult doctors if you experience a high fever or other symptoms of the infection. You should also tell the doctor of your recent travels to the outbreak sites,” the PDPI wrote in a statement.

Since December last year, dozens of cases of pneumonia have been reported in Wuhan. The disease is associated with a previously unidentified coronavirus related to the deadly Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday that China had reported to the organization 139 new cases of coronavirus infection in Wuhan, Beijing and Shenzhen over the past two days. The increased number was said to be the result of “increased searching and testing for 2019-nCoV [2019-novel coronavirus] among people sick with respiratory illness”.

The WHO had recently confirmed the first infection case outside China, with a doctor in Bangkok confirming a Chinese traveler was diagnosed with pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus.

According to the WHO, there are also other suspected cases in other cities around the region, such as Singapore and Seoul.

The outbreak has caused alarm because of the link with SARS, which killed 349 people in mainland China and another 299 in Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

Airports most prone to viruses

In public places such as airports, viruses inevitably lurk in every corner. Countless people make contact in planes, waiting areas and bathrooms every day.

“Flying probably accelerated the spread of the H1N1 virus in 2009,” said Dr. Alison Galdy from the University of Minnesota Infection Prevention as quoted by Travel+Leisure.

Fox 9 reported several “virus hot zones” in airports that should be avoided, such as toilet handles, armrests on chairs, kiosk screens and handrails. However, the riskiest item is the plastic bins used during security screenings. 

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It is said that travelers dump everything from toothbrushes to children’s diaper bags into them on a regular basis. The trays are also rarely cleaned.

According to healthcare company the Mayo Clinic, the flu virus can survive on stainless steel, plastic and similar hard surfaces for more than 48 hours. This increases the chances of viral transmissions to humans through contact.

Travelers should also avoid touching their faces too often because it spreads germs quickly. Fox 9 reported that people touch their faces subconsciously as often as three to five times an hour.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost