‘No yellow fever checks at Gauteng airports’

6583 09.5.1 Lanseria International Airport has had a thermal scanner for some time, unlike OR Tambo, which will be waiting another 2 weeks before they get theirs. Picture: Cara Viereckl

6583 09.5.1 Lanseria International Airport has had a thermal scanner for some time, unlike OR Tambo, which will be waiting another 2 weeks before they get theirs. Picture: Cara Viereckl

Published Nov 27, 2012

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Johannesburg - Lanseria and OR Tambo International Airports do not perform yellow fever checks, the DA claimed on Monday.

Democratic Alliance spokesman on health Jack Bloom said in a statement that the checks were neglected, partly because of staff shortages at the airports.

“Other disruption of airport health services occurs because employees refuse to work during weekends and public holidays as they are not paid overtime.”

According to the World Health Organisation, yellow fever is a virus which is usually transmitted via mosquitoes.

On average 30,000 people die every year from the virus, most of them in Africa. There is no specific treatment.

Bloom said the Gauteng health department was failing to protect citizens from exotic diseases carried by those entering South Africa.

“We could import all kinds of serious diseases because of a lack of controls at these airports, especially over weekends,” Bloom said.

The provincial health department and Airports Company SA could not immediately be reached for comment. - Sapa

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