LONDON: Germany, European ‘Union President, last week Convened a meeting health experts from the 12nation grouping to ‘coordinate measures against possible spread of plague across the continent.
The special session of European ion Health experts will review situation as Governments across Europe enforced checks on ‘fights from India. Eight persons suspected of having pneumonic plague have been identified in Britain, and three are hospital fortests, Britain’s Chief ‘Medical officer Dr. Kenneth Calman told a Press conference.
‘There is no cause for alarm. It illustrates our surveillance measures are working,” Dr. Calman said.
He said of the measures taken in Britain: “If any cases of the plague are confirmed, they will be treated effectively with routinely available antibiotics. It is rare for the plague to be transmitted person to person.”
The suspected victims of the plague have recently been in India, Dr. Calman said, but he declined to give any details such ‘as their nationalities.
“We assume that they have been picked up by their (local doctors).”The risk to people in this country is very, very small indeed,” Dr. Calman said.
Health officials at British airports are screening passengers coming from India for symptoms of pneumonic plague.
Passengers from India are sprayed with disinfectants before they disembark from aircraft which are told to taxi in a remote comer of the airport.
Meanwhile, the US State Department last week made a “public announcement” making it clear that risk of plague infection in India for international travelers is low. It, however, said travelers returning from India to the US would receive a plague alert notice.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 7, 1994
