CDC GUIDANCE REGARDING REPORTING OF SUSPECTED MIDDLE EAST RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (MERS)

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidance regarding Middle East Respiratory Syndrome for airline crew on flights arriving to the United States. The guidance states that crew should report to CDC ill travelers (with symptoms below) arriving from countries in and near the Arabian Peninsula, including Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, the Palestinian territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), and Yemen. Crew should report to CDC if the ill person:

• feels warm to the touch, gives a history of feeling feverish, or has an actual measured temperature of 100° F (37.8° C) or higher, PLUS
• has a cough or difficulty breathing.

Crew should report the ill traveler’s presence as soon as possible and before arrival by one of the following methods:

1. Air Traffic Services (ATS) if in international airspace or Air      Traffic Control (ATC) if in U.S. airspace

This reporting option also complies with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) reporting standard (ICAO document 4444 and Annex 9 of the Chicago Convention). ATC will notify CDC’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and the EOC will notify the appropriate CDC Quarantine Station and the local health department of jurisdiction. OR