DAKAR, Senegal (AP) – No one knows for sure just how many people Patrick Sawyer came into contact with the day he boarded a plane in Liberia, had a layover in Togo and then arrived in Nigeria where authorities say he died days later from Ebola, one of the world’s deadliest diseases.
Now health workers are scrambling to trace those who may have been exposed to Sawyer at three international airports in West Africa, from flight attendants to fellow passengers. Health experts say it’s unlikely he could have infected others with the virus that can cause victims to bleed from their eyes, mouth and ears.
Still, unsettling questions remain: How could a man whose sister recently died from Ebola manage to board a plane leaving the country? Could Ebola become the latest disease to be spread by airplanes?
“The best thing would be if people did not travel when they were sick, but the problem is people won’t say when they’re sick. They will lie in order to travel, so it is doubtful travel recommendations would have a big impact,” said Dr. David Heymann, professor of infectious diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
“The important thing is for countries to be prepared when they get patients infected with Ebola, that they are isolated, family members are told what to do and health workers take the right steps.”