Increased efforts to check for SARS

Both Eritrea and Ethiopia have stepped up efforts to prevent the deadly SARS virus entering the countries.

On Wednesday, the Ethiopian health ministry urged travellers to suspend trips to China, Singapore and Hong Kong.

“We are advising people not to travel to these areas unless it is urgent,” health ministry spokesman Ahmed Emano told IRIN. “This is a preventative measure against SARS [Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome] which poses a serious threat to this country.”

The move comes after the World Health Organisation warned against travel to areas in the Far East that have been hit by SARS which has claimed hundreds of lives.

Ethiopian Airlines has also reduced the number of weekly flights to Beijing from two to one because of a decline in the number of passengers, and is offering facemasks and gloves on all its flights.

Screening and quarantine services have been set up at the international airport in Addis Ababa, as well as an isolation unit in case of an outbreak.

“If SARS breaks out in Ethiopia it is very dangerous because we live in such close proximity, especially in Addis Ababa,” Ahmed added.

Eritrea meanwhile said it was screening travellers arriving in the country and conducting health checks.

In an interview with the Eritrean news agency, the health ministry's head of national quarantine Abraham Tesfaselassie said an isolation facility was in place for anyone with suspected SARS symptoms.

The ministry has been conducting campaigns to raise awareness of the pneumonia-like disease for which there is no known cure.