French medical teams were deployed to the Republic of Guinea's international airport Saturday to minimize the global spread of the Ebola virus, which is ravaging parts of Africa.
Teams from the Pasteur Institute and non-government medical organizations were in place to survey boarding at Gbessia International Airport, located in the capital of Conakry. The staff began checking passengers for symptoms of the virus, including severe bruising, fever, under-eye circles, throat irritation and vomiting.
Gbessia International offers eight flight destinations to countries including France, Mauritania, Morocco, Gambia and Senegal. France continues to lend health assistance, medical equipment and financial aid to its former colonies in Africa, including Guinea.
"Since the Guinean authorities notified the World Health Organization on March 22 of an outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development has been fully mobilized to directly help the affected populations," the French Diplomatic Health Department said in a statement.
Multiple West African countries are mobilized against the Ebola virus, which has killed at least 80 people. Ebola is highly contagious and often fatal, and there is no vaccine or treatment.
Suspected cases have been detected in Mali, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
As of Saturday, the Global Organization of Health has not put restrictions on travel to the affected countries.
Europe has provided 500,000 euros ($685,000) in emergency aid to help countries in Africa combat Ebola, and the World Health Organization has donated more than 3 tons of medical supplies.
