Posted on 04/27/2003 7:51:33 PM PDT by HuntsvilleTxVeteran
EVERY passenger on board every international flight that lands in Australia is checked at least three times for signs of the deadly SARS virus.
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service spokesman Carson Creagh said that shortly before any aircraft landed at any Australian international airport pilots were required ask passengers to report to cabin crew if they were feeling unwell.
Cabin crew would then conduct a visual check of crew and passengers.
A spokesman for the Commonwealth Department of Health said aircraft would not be given a landing clearance until the pilot had notified authorities on the ground the health status of passengers and crew members.
Mr Creagh said when a person was reported as displaying respiratory symptoms, a quarantine officer and a nurse boarded the plane once it landed.
Passengers were taken to a room and asked a series of questions about their symptoms and also about their travel movements over the past 10 days. Their temperature was also taken to see if it is above 38C.
Since April 4, international airports across the country have had specific processes in place to deal with the SARS crisis.
Every passenger who steps into the international terminal is visually checked by customs and quarantine officers for signs of illness. Nurses are also on standby in every airport.
"A customs officer and quarantine officers are the first people passengers see on arrival," the Department of Health spokesman said.
"They have the power to detain all people arriving," Mr Creagh said.
So far, aircraft cabin crew, customs and quarantine officers had identified 236 passengers as having respiratory symptoms, or "10-15 each day".
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