Ebola Update

As the Ebola epidemic continues to spread, business in the affected regions is becoming more severely affected, including some closings and restrictions on air travel. The below update from AGS Frasers provides some more details. 

SPOTLIGHT: International Responses

·       United Nations: “Current flight limitations are hampering the movement of international experts involved in the control efforts. These flight restrictions hinder the capacities of aid organizations like Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) to deploy their personnel in support of the crisis response and mitigation.”

·       IATA: “The risk of transmission of Ebola virus disease during air travel is low … Ebola is not spread by breathing air (and the airborne particles it contains) from an infected person. Transmission requires direct contact with blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected living or dead persons or animals, all unlikely exposures for the average traveller.”

·       Médecins sans Frontières: “It is clear that the Ebola epidemic will not be contained without a massive deployment of medical and disaster relief specialists from states. The governments of Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone are doing everything they can to try to fight this epidemic. They desperately need international support.”

Following AGS’ newsflash on Ebola in Guinea, we hereby provide an overview of other affected countries. Please note that due to the volatility of the situation, we advise contacting the AGS Frasers African Desk for last-minute updates.

Throughout August affected countries have experienced expatriates leaving – with related negative impacts felt by local economies – and foreign diplomats and business people abroad not returning.

All of AGS’ branches in Africa – including Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia – remain operational for our clients’ benefit, with those in Ebola regions implementing strict hygiene control measures. These include daily  counselling for staff and availability of cleaning kits, and travel restrictions to minimize risk.

Travel and Business

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have all declared States of Emergency following the Ebola outbreak.

In the wake of major airlines – including Emirates, Air France and British Airways – cancelling flights to Ebola-affected countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations (UN) both issued calls in August for this trend to stop.

By mid-August the only airlines still flying to Sierra Leone were Brussels Airlines and Royal Air Maroc – Kenya Airways suspended their Sierra Leone flights – and only three airlines still served Liberia.

Most recently, Air France confirmed that it was also suspending flights to Freetown, Liberia, effective August 28 (while still maintaining its flights to Guinea and Nigeria) following the French Government encouraging French citizens to leave Liberia and Sierra Leone. 

Lifestyle restrictions have also been felt within Ebola-affected countries. Banks in Sierra Leone close at 13:30, making afternoon trade difficult, and steep inflation has occurred in food prices. An outbreak of cholera in Sierra Leone also complicated matters, and some of its hospitals turned away patients out of fear of Ebola.

Overview:

·       Please note, due to a nationwide lock down resulting from the Ebola outbreak, AGS Frasers Sierra Leone will be closed from 19th to 21st September 2014. Service disruption may start on 18th September 2014. Unless the lock down is extended, business will be resumed on 22nd September 2014.

·       Sierra Leone implemented an evening curfew, with all establishments closed by 20:30, as well as the banning public gatherings. A curfew was also introduced in Liberia, effective August 19.

·       Gabon announced on August 14 that it would no longer be receiving ships which had previously stopped over in any Ebola-affected countries (including Nigeria).

·       Cameroon closed all its borders with countries touched by Ebola, with the Cameroon Government prohibiting both imports and exports of cargo and people, across land, sea and air. Senegal similarly closed its borders.

·       Late in August, Botswana closed its northern border to trucks from the Democratic Republic of Congo, after Ebola victims were also declared within the country – possibly a different strain to those in the West African outbreak.

Please be assured that AGS’ executives, branch managers and staff are treating this matter with the utmost attention, and are at your disposal. 

You can contact me directly or via Linkedin with any questions and I will get the answers from my colleagues in Africa.

TW