African airline halts flights to Ebola-hit countries
Iran Press TV
Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:37AM GMT
Pan-African airline ASKY has suspended all flights to and from the capitals of Liberia and Sierra Leone over the Ebola health crisis in the two countries.
The Tuesday move by the Togo-based carrier follows the death of one of its passengers from the virus after traveling from Liberia to Nigeria via the Togolese capital, Lome.
The 40-year-old man died in Lagos on Friday in Nigeria's first confirmed death from Ebola.
"The suspension of flights to Freetown and Monrovia by ASKY is related to the fight against the spread of the Ebola virus," said company spokesman Afoussath Traore.
"ASKY took this precautionary measure to ensure the safety of all: its passengers, staff and people of all countries covered by our network," he added.
ASKY, which works in partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, covers 20 destinations in central and West Africa.
In a related development, the Liberian Football Association (LFA) has also halted all activities in the country due to the persisting Ebola crisis.
The LFA decided "to cease operations of football activities considering that football matches are contact sports and Ebola is spread through body contacts with an infected person," LFA chief Musa Bility said in a Tuesday statement.
Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry in Liberia, where 127 people have died of Ebola, said it had placed several senior officials under observation for three weeks after a top ministry official died from the virus.
Patrick Sawyer was on official business in Nigeria last week when he contracted the disease.
Since March, there have been 1,201 cases of Ebola infections and 672 deaths in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ebola can kill victims within days, after severe fever and muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea and, in some cases, organ failure and unstoppable bleeding.
MFB/HJL
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