Iceland now to close airports due to ash

April 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Iceland, able to keep its airports open while European airlines were grounded due to ash from its volcanic eruption, is now closing its airspace because of a change in wind direction, authorities said on Thursday.

The eruption of the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier, about 120 km (75 miles) southeast of the capital Reykjavik, caused six days of travel chaos for Europe as it spewed ash miles into the air.

European airlines have now started flying again, but Iceland is just about to close after the wind changed direction and started blowing ash east towards the capital and its airport.

“With a view to the ash distribution forecast for Friday April 23 it can be expected that the flight zone for Keflavik and Reykjavik Airports will be closed for a certain period of time,” the aviation authority said in a statement.

“This is for the first time that the flight zone around the two Icelandic international airports has closed since the beginning of the eruption …,” it said, referring to a first eruption in March which presaged the current, larger eruption.

Iceland, despite being home to the volcano which caused so much trouble for European travellers, had not been affected by the ash from the volcano as the wind had been taking it away from the island, south to the rest of Europe.

The website of Keflavik airport, the main international airport serving Reykjavik, showed a series of flights being cancelled for Friday, as well as several flights being brought up to 0500 GMT, before the expected flight ban from 0600 GMT.

(Reporting by Patrick Lannin)

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Centre forms a nodal centre to clear stranded Europe-bound air passengers

April 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Apr 19 (ANI): The Central Government has set up a nodal control room to facilitate smooth transition of stranded Europe-bound air passengers.

The Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary, Madhavan Nambiar, said on Monday that this nodal centre set would be manned by representatives of the operators, officials of the airports and the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

A senior government official of the rank of Joint Secretary would oversee the entire functioning of this task force, he mentioned.

“We have also set up today in the ministry of Civil aviation, a control room headed by our Joint Secretary (Prashant Shukul). We have the representatives of the airlines there; we have the representatives of the DGCA, the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) and all the other stakeholders,” said Nambiar.

“So that the issues and problems could be addressed on a fast track basis,” he added.

This has come as a sigh of relief for at least 41,400 passengers, who were stranded at different international airports early this morning due to suspension of flights over Europe after a cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland spread across the continent and complaining that they were running out of money amid searing temperatures.

With an aim to reduce the number of stranded passengers, the Centre has advised the intending passengers to avoid or postpone their travel plans, unless it is of an emergency nature.

“We are also advising the passengers that because of the situation and the kind of pressure on the airlines and the airport, to defer travel unless it is absolutely essential,” said Nambiar.

He also informed that due to the closure of airports, five of Air India”s aircrafts are stuck at different airports across Europe.

Nambiar further said that Air India and Jet Airways have started their flights to the United States through Greece and Egypt. (ANI)

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IATA chief says more airline mergers a must

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Further mergers among airlines are essential in order to cut costs and improve competitiveness in an industry seen sustaining combined losses of $2.8 billion this year, the head of airline industry body IATA said on Monday.

Deals

“Mergers and consolidation is a must … No other industry is so fragmented, so we have to consolidate in order to build more efficiency,” Giovanni Bisignani, director-general of the International Air Transport Association, told a few reporters.

He called for regulatory support for barrier-free mergers across borders, explaining that different legal frameworks have hindered extensive global industry consolidation, involving, for example, U.S. and European airlines.

“I’m raising the agenda of freedom on consolidation because we cannot do the same thing (as in Europe, where some cross-border mergers have been helped by unified legal frameworks) between an American and a European carrier.”

Asked about a possible merger between United Airlines (UAUA.O) and US Airways (LCC.N), he said he would not comment on individual deals.

“There are many many conversations going on. Everyone is dating, but I make no comments on dating,” Bisignani said.

He is visiting Japan to meet transport minister Seiji Maehara later on Monday. The industry body chief said he will ask the minister to improve the cost competitiveness and infrastructure of Japan’s Narita and Haneda international airports.

“You are located in a wonderful part of the world, with China in front of you,” Bisignani continued.

“That is the only opportunity that you have. Take advantage of this area of the world where traffic is still growing.”

IATA said on March 30 that airlines were climbing out of recession with strong rises in passenger travel and cargo in February. Passenger demand that month was up 9.5 percent from a year earlier, while supply increased by only 1.9 percent.

IATA, which comprises about 230 airlines, including United Airlines and US Airways, forecast last month that carriers would lose a combined $2.8 billion this year after a $9.4 billion loss last year, but should post a combined profit in 2011.

(Reporting by Yumiko Nishitani; Editing by Joseph Radford)

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UPDATE 1-IATA chief says more airline mergers a must

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

TOKYO, April 12 (Reuters) – Further mergers among airlines are essential in order to cut costs and improve competitiveness in an industry seen sustaining combined losses of $2.8 billion this year, the head of airline industry body IATA said on Monday.

“Mergers and consolidation is a must … No other industry is so fragmented, so we have to consolidate in order to build more efficiency,” Giovanni Bisignani, director-general of the International Air Transport Association, told a few reporters.

He called for regulatory support for barrier-free mergers across borders, explaining that different legal frameworks have hindered extensive global industry consolidation, involving, for example, U.S. and European airlines.

“I’m raising the agenda of freedom on consolidation because we cannot do the same thing (as in Europe, where some cross-border mergers have been helped by unified legal frameworks) between an American and a European carrier.”

Asked about a possible merger between United Airlines (UAUA.O) and US Airways (LCC.N), he said he would not comment on individual deals.

“There are many many conversations going on. Everyone is dating, but I make no comments on dating,” Bisignani said.

He is visiting Japan to meet transport minister Seiji Maehara later on Monday. The industry body chief said he will ask the minister to improve the cost competitiveness and infrastructure of Japan’s Narita and Haneda international airports.

“You are located in a wonderful part of the world, with China in front of you,” Bisignani continued.

“That is the only opportunity that you have. Take advantage of this area of the world where traffic is still growing.”

IATA said on March 30 that airlines were climbing out of recession with strong rises in passenger travel and cargo in February. Passenger demand that month was up 9.5 percent from a year earlier, while supply increased by only 1.9 percent. [ID:nLDE62T0SK]

IATA, which comprises about 230 airlines, including United Airlines and US Airways, forecast last month that carriers would lose a combined $2.8 billion this year after a $9.4 billion loss last year, but should post a combined profit in 2011. (Reporting by Yumiko Nishitani; Editing by Joseph Radford)

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IATA chief says more airline mergers a must

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Further mergers among airlines are essential in order to cut costs and improve competitiveness in an industry seen sustaining combined losses of $2.8 billion this year, the head of airline industry body IATA said on Monday.

Deals

“Mergers and consolidation is a must … No other industry is so fragmented, so we have to consolidate in order to build more efficiency,” Giovanni Bisignani, director-general of the International Air Transport Association, told a few reporters.

He called for regulatory support for barrier-free mergers across borders, explaining that different legal frameworks have hindered extensive global industry consolidation, involving, for example, U.S. and European airlines.

“I’m raising the agenda of freedom on consolidation because we cannot do the same thing (as in Europe, where some cross-border mergers have been helped by unified legal frameworks) between an American and a European carrier.”

Asked about a possible merger between United Airlines (UAUA.O) and US Airways (LCC.N), he said he would not comment on individual deals.

“There are many many conversations going on. Everyone is dating, but I make no comments on dating,” Bisignani said.

He is visiting Japan to meet transport minister Seiji Maehara later on Monday. The industry body chief said he will ask the minister to improve the cost competitiveness and infrastructure of Japan’s Narita and Haneda international airports.

“You are located in a wonderful part of the world, with China in front of you,” Bisignani continued.

“That is the only opportunity that you have. Take advantage of this area of the world where traffic is still growing.”

IATA said on March 30 that airlines were climbing out of recession with strong rises in passenger travel and cargo in February. Passenger demand that month was up 9.5 percent from a year earlier, while supply increased by only 1.9 percent.

IATA, which comprises about 230 airlines, including United Airlines and US Airways, forecast last month that carriers would lose a combined $2.8 billion this year after a $9.4 billion loss last year, but should post a combined profit in 2011.

(Reporting by Yumiko Nishitani; Editing by Joseph Radford)

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UPDATE 1-IATA chief says more airline mergers a must

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

TOKYO, April 12 (Reuters) – Further mergers among airlines are essential in order to cut costs and improve competitiveness in an industry seen sustaining combined losses of $2.8 billion this year, the head of airline industry body IATA said on Monday.

“Mergers and consolidation is a must … No other industry is so fragmented, so we have to consolidate in order to build more efficiency,” Giovanni Bisignani, director-general of the International Air Transport Association, told a few reporters.

He called for regulatory support for barrier-free mergers across borders, explaining that different legal frameworks have hindered extensive global industry consolidation, involving, for example, U.S. and European airlines.

“I’m raising the agenda of freedom on consolidation because we cannot do the same thing (as in Europe, where some cross-border mergers have been helped by unified legal frameworks) between an American and a European carrier.”

Asked about a possible merger between United Airlines (UAUA.O) and US Airways (LCC.N), he said he would not comment on individual deals.

“There are many many conversations going on. Everyone is dating, but I make no comments on dating,” Bisignani said.

He is visiting Japan to meet transport minister Seiji Maehara later on Monday. The industry body chief said he will ask the minister to improve the cost competitiveness and infrastructure of Japan’s Narita and Haneda international airports.

“You are located in a wonderful part of the world, with China in front of you,” Bisignani continued.

“That is the only opportunity that you have. Take advantage of this area of the world where traffic is still growing.”

IATA said on March 30 that airlines were climbing out of recession with strong rises in passenger travel and cargo in February. Passenger demand that month was up 9.5 percent from a year earlier, while supply increased by only 1.9 percent. [ID:nLDE62T0SK]

IATA, which comprises about 230 airlines, including United Airlines and US Airways, forecast last month that carriers would lose a combined $2.8 billion this year after a $9.4 billion loss last year, but should post a combined profit in 2011. (Reporting by Yumiko Nishitani; Editing by Joseph Radford)

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Buddhist Circuit to be developed in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar

August 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Aug 19 (ANI): Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selja has said that her Ministry will take along Uttar Pradesh and Bihar while promoting Buddhist Circuit for tourists.

She said that Buddhist Circuit is popular both among foreign and domestic tourists and all efforts will be made to make it a star attraction.

The issue came up during the meeting of Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister Vinod Singh with Selja here today when the former called on her.

During the meeting, Uttar Pradesh submitted a project on the Buddhist Circuit to the Union Ministry for consideration.

Both the leaders discussed tourism related issues and Selja stressed the need to provide cleanliness and hygienic atmosphere at tourist spots in the state as the feel good factor among tourists will provide the state a chance to have more visitors.

She said, Public Awareness Campaign about cleanliness must be started in places like Agra where tourists come in large numbers.

She suggested that the help of corporate sector may also be taken in creating such awareness.

Selja also suggested to provide skill upgradation training to waiters, cooks, taxi drivers and other stakeholders to provide better experiences for tourists during their stay.

She said her Ministry is willing to provide training to instructors of the state in this regard, if such a request is put forward.

She also urged the state to work towards seamless travel for the comfort of the tourists as Uttar Pradesh is one of the key state in the Golden Triangle (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur), which attracts most of the foreign tourists visiting India.

Singh enlisted the efforts of the State Government in providing training to waiters, cooks and requested the Union Ministry to sanction a scheme of the State Government under which stipend for such training will be given to the beneficiaries.

He also sought help to have international airports at Agra and Kushinagar. (ANI)

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Indians living in Malaysia want Tamil announcements at airports

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, May 26 (ANI): The Tamil Indian community in Malaysia has complained that there is no announcement in Tamil at the international airports around the country.

According to a report in The Star Online, the community also complained that the television news readers had failed to promote Indian culture through their dressing and that deejays on radio channels were not fluent in Tamil.

These issues were highlighted to Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam at a function organised by the Malaysia Tamil Youth Bell Club recently.

In his speech, Subramaniam, who agreed to bring the matter up to the Government, said that television and radio channels should use proper Tamil in their programmes.

He said that the influence of Western media and culture among the community’s youths had resulted in the lack of support for the community’s own religious and cultural programmes, adding that Indian organizations should act to preserve the Tamil language.

Subramaniam, who is also MIC secretary-general, said the party had urged the Government to include religious studies as a subject in Tamil schools as a way of inculcating moral values in Indian schoolchildren. (ANI)

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Thailand’s economy declines 7.1 per cent in first quarter

May 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Thailand's economy declines 7.1 per cent in first quarter Bangkok – Thailand’s gross domestic product (GDP) fell 7.1 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2009, with the consumer spending index falling for the first time since the Asian financial crisis of 1997, a government think tank revealed Monday.

The National Economic and Social Developpment Board (NESDB) predicted that GDP will fall 2.5 to 3.5 per cent for all of 2009, should the political situation “stabilize.”

Thailand’s GDP declined 4.2 per cent in the last quarter of 2008 and 7.1 per cent in the first quarter of this year, NESDB secretary-general Ampon Kittiampon said.

During the first three months of 2009, the consumer spending index fell 2.6 per cent, the first dip since the Asian financial crisis started in Thailand in 1997. Thailand’s GDP fell about 11 per cent in 1998.

Ampon predicted slower declines in the next three quarters of 2009, if the political scene “stabilized” and the government could go ahead with investments in stimulus programmes.

“If the political situation doesn’t deteriorate, I would say we’ve bottomed out,” Ampon said.

Thailand has been plagued by unprecendented and prolonged political instability since May 2008, when anti-government protests began in Bangkok and culminated with the closure of the capital’s two international airports for ten days in November and December.

Renewed anti-government protests, by new protestors against a new government, succeeded in forcing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to cancel a regional summit being held in Pattaya last month, raising serious questions about the country’s political future. (dpa)

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New computer model may improve airport pandemic influenza screening system

May 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 20 (ANI): A team of scientists from four national laboratories in the U.S. have created a computer model that can help airport authorities screen passengers for pandemic influenza.

Project leader Robert Brigantic says that the novel tool may prove useful in estimating false negatives, people with influenza who slip through the screening process, and thereby help assess the risk of infected passengers unknowingly spreading disease across the nation.

When there is a confirmed human outbreak of a pandemic influenza virus overseas, authorities the US calls for screening of passengers scheduled to fly into the country at international airports, en route screening and arrival screening at ports-of-entry.

However, the efficacy of screening procedures is not known.

This is the reason why Brigantic and his colleagues-including experts from the Washington-based Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Tennessee-based Oak Ridge National Laboratory, California-based Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and New Mexico-based Los Alamos National Laboratory-have built a computer model of US airport entry screening that combines epidemiology with knowledge about evolving disease states and conditions of passengers over time.

The researchers have tested their simulation under different pandemic scenarios and carried out an analysis of the impact of alternative mitigative, diagnostic and quarantine measures that can be used.

Their results may help decision makers plan for the resources needed at the port-of-entry airports, anticipate possible developments during a pandemic, and devise appropriate courses of action to prevent the spread of disease through the US.

“The simulation work is easily adaptable to model other types of outbreaks, to include non-influenza virus type outbreaks or disease spread,” says Brigantic.

The researchers say that there are several key factors that could reduce the risk of a pandemic influenza spreading widely in the US.

They say that passengers should be screened, if possible, before they board a plane bound for the US. They also say that passengers presenting symptoms on arrival should be tested for the pandemic influenza virus and potential quarantine.

According to them, the authorities should be aware that passengers might infect each other before and during their flight, and that any screening program is likely to increase delays and queues.

The researchers suggest that advances are now needed in diagnostics for infection to automate and speed up confirmation.

A research paper on their work has been published in the International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management. (ANI)

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No confirmed Swine Flu cases in India

May 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 8 (ANI): No case of Influenza-A H1N1 or Swine Flu has been reported so far from the country, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said.

Samples of two persons who disembarked at Bangalore airport have been referred to the identified health facility.

So far samples of 24 persons have been tested and found negative.

Health screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing at 21 International airports in the country. The situation is being monitored closely.

Already, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an advisory informing the public that retail sale of Oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu) is not permitted in the country and Chemists are not authorized to sell it.

On Friday, the World Health Organization said that 2,384 people in 24 countries now had confirmed cases of swine flu.

Only 46 people are known to have died of the virus, and 44 of them were reported in Mexico. (ANI)

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India prepared to tackle swine flu

May 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi/Pune, May 5 (ANI): India is prepared to meet any possible swine flu threat.

“From the feedback that we have obtained from all states, the country is better prepared to face an outbreak than it was four days ago. The good news is that we have no positive case as of now in our country,” Vineet Chowdhary, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, told a news conference here on Monday.

Chowdhary also ruled out any possibility of sealing India’s borders.

“We don’t intend to seal our borders at all. WHO advisory also said that if you do that then you will be only causing discomfort, inconvenience to the passengers and not serving any worthwhile purpose,” he said.

While India has remained unaffected by the H1N1 virus, the mass production in the country of a vaccine to deal the threat was still away, said officials at Pune based Serum Institute of India.

“The mass production of the vaccine will take sometime. Firstly, we will have to collect viral strain, which requires clearance, and help from the WHO…then this virus will be adopted in a new cell-line, and after that only we can think of its production. This process can take at least 2 to 8 months,” said Suresh Jadhav, Executive Director of the laboratory.

Meanwhile, the veterinary doctors have taken precautionary measure in Meghalaya to pre-empt the outbreak.

As a precautionary measure, the piggery has been closed for outsiders and in the event of an outbreak, the state would seek assistance from the Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory in Bhopal.

The consumption of pork in Meghalaya and other Northeastern states is relatively high as compared to other parts of the country. In 2007-08, consumption of pork was over 10000 tons in the state.

Health screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing in 21 international airports at Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Calicut, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Varanasi, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Srinagar, Trichy and Trivandrum.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 985 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A, H1N1 infection with 26 deaths from twenty countries.

There are 226 laboratory confirmed human cases in USA with one death. Mexico has reported 590 cases including 25 deaths.

The other countries which have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths are: Austria (1), Canada (85), Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China) (1), Costa Rica (1) Columbia (1) Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (2), Germany (8), Ireland (1), Israel (3), Italy (1), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (4), Republic of Korea (1) Spain (40), Switzerland (1) and United Kingdom (15). (ANI)

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Suspected cases of Swine Flu in India found negative

May 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 2 (ANI): All six samples that were sent to National Institute of Communicable Disease for suspected cases of Swine Flu have turned out to be negative. ealth screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing in 18 International airports at Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Calicut, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Srinagar and Trichy. Besides, screening of passengers at Varanasi will start tomorrow. A total of 33,936 passengers have been screened. 126 doctors and 71 paramedics have been deployed to man 51 counters at these airports.

The World Health Organization, meanwhile, has reported 615 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection with 17 deaths from fifteen countries.

The global body said that 13 countries have now reported laboratory confirmed cases.

Mexico has begun its 5-day shutdown to curb the and has raised its confirmed swine flu death toll from 15 to 16, adding that the total number of confirmed cases of the virus had risen to 397.

Mexico is observing complete shut down of its economy in a bid to slow the spread of the flu virus.

The nations across the globe are taking extra precautions to curb the menace of epidemic.

According to the latest WHO figures released late on Friday, the United States has 141 cases and 1 death.

Canada has 34 cases, Spain 13 and Britain 8. New Zealand and Germany have 3 confirmed cases each, Israel has two, and Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, South Korea and Hong Kong have a case each.

Swine Flu or the H1N1 virus is a genetic re-assortment of swine influenza, avian influenza and human influenza strains. The diagnosed human cases suggest extended human-to-human transmission.

The World Health Organization has raised the pandemic alert to its second highest level. (ANI)

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Thai hospital quarantines patient for suspected swine flu

May 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Bangkok – A 42-year-old Thai civil servant who attended a seminar in Mexico earlier this month has been admitted to hospital and kept under quarantine over a possible swine flu infection, hospital sources said Tuesday. Chulalongkorn Hospital deputy-director Dr Thirapong Charoenwhit said the woman patient was suffering a light fever and has been sick since April 23.

The woman, whose name was not disclosed to the press, had attended a seminar in Mexico from April 3 to 11.

It was still unclear whether the patient, a member of the state-run Chulalongkorn Hospital staff, had picked up the swine flu virus or was suffering from another strain on influenza, Thirapong said.

Like other Asian countries, Thailand has been swift to put in place thermal scanners and quarantine stations at its three main international airports to prevent swine flu sufferers from spreading the virus to the population.

Tuesday the Thai cabinet proposed setting up a joint committee, chaired by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, to supervise swine flu prevention measures in the country, where the tourism sector was hard hit by the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) scare of 2003 and the avian influenza pandemic of 2004-05.

Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodi said there were 17 government hospitals on full flu alert and the government had enough stockpiles of Tamiflu anti-viral medication to treat 300,000 patients.

“We have to be careful and see where tourists from swine flu-hit countries stay, and their activities will have to be closely monitored,” Thai Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said.

The World Health Organization has upgraded the pandemic alert level to phase 4, following a swine flu outbreak in Mexico which may have caused as many as 149 deaths so far.(dpa)

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Philippines steps up airport screening against swine flu

May 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Manila – The Philippines has stepped up screening of travellers from Mexico and other countries affected by an outbreak of a deadly swine flu virus, health authorities said Monday. Health Secretary Francisco Duque stressed that there was still no case of swine flu among humans in the Philippines.

“There is no report of swine flu among humans in the Philippines,” he told a press conference.

But Duque urged the public to practice good hygiene to avoid getting sick amid growing concern over the outbreak of the swine flu virus in Mexico, the United States and Canada.

“The Department of Health has stepped up surveillance measures to prevent the entry of the virus,” he added.

Edgardo Sabitsana, chief of the Bureau of Quarantine, said thermal scanning at international airports has been beefed up for passengers from Mexico, the United States and Canada.

“Our thermal scanners have 100-per cent effectivity so you can be sure that passengers with fever will be detected,” he said.

Sabitsana said further examinations would be enforced for passengers with fever and a history of travel to the affected countries to prevent the entry of the swine flu virus.

“Tests will be conducted before the passengers are allowed to enter,” he said. “In six hours, we will know if there are suspicious cases.”

At least 103 people have died in Mexico from flu, where more than 1,600 cases were reported, however, it remains unclear how many people died following an infection with swine flu apart from 20 confirmed cases.

On the weekend, the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture imposed a ban on the imports of hogs and pork products from Mexico and the US.

The department also ordered increased monitoring and quarantine of sick pigs and encourage hog farmers to regularly vaccinate their pigs from swine flu.(dpa)

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Over 17,000 airline passengers screened for swine flu across India

May 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 1 (ANI): Over 17,000 airline passengers have been screened at various airports around the country for swine flu in the wake of the Indian Government ordering a health screening of all passengers coming from countries affected by the virus.

Senior Ministry of Health and Family Welfare officials said that screenings are taking place in airports at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Goa, Amritsar, Cochin, Ahmedabad, Trichy and Srinagar.

They said the remaining international airports would also start this activity shortly.

A total of 17,949 passengers have been screened so far. Ninety-six doctors have been deployed to man 32 counters at the above airports, they added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported human cases of Influenza A [H1N1][earlier referred to as Swine Influenza] caused by a re-assorted Swine flu virus.

As on April 30, 2009, eleven countries have officially reported 257 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection with eight deaths. The USA has reported 109 laboratory confirmed human cases with one death and Mexico reported 97 cases including seven deaths.

The other countries which have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths are: Austria (1), Canada (19), Germany (3), Israel (2), New Zealand (3), Spain (13) The United Kingdom (8), Netherlands (1) and Switzerland (1) .

The decision of MoHFW to decentralize the medical supplies [Oseltamivir and personal protective equipments] has been effected. About 2.50 lakh capsules of Oseltamivir , 18,000 PPE and over one lakh of triple layer surgical masks have been dispatched to the Regional Offices of Health and F.W. This would cut short the lead time in case a suspected cluster is to be contained.

“We have set up special counters so that passengers can be screened. Passengers are being asked to fill up forms to declare if they have recently visited countries like America, Mexico and Canada,” said Arun Arora, Associate Vice-President, Corporate Communication, Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Passengers said they were being asked whether they were suffering from swine flu.

“They are asking about have you had fever?, have you had rash?. They just ask you about the symptoms of swine flu and they screen you,” said Varva, a passenger.

On Thursday, a senior official of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that there is no swine flu in India, but added that should the virus hit the country, the government is fully prepared to handle it.

Vineet Choudhary, Joint Secretary, Health, said here that there is no suspected case of swine flu in India and that surveillance is in place at all airports.

Choudhary also said the Ministry is taking to companies that manufacture the antidote.

Earlier, the Government of Tripura had sounded an alert across the state to check an outbreak of the deadly virus, official sources said.

The announcements in India followed a World Health Organisation (WHO) warning that “all of humanity is under threat” from a potential swine flu pandemic.

The WHO raised the swine flu threat awareness level to 5 out of 6, indicating that the world is on the brink of a pandemic. (ANI)

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Government reviews preparedness for Swine Flu

May 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

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New Delhi, Apr 27 (ANI): After keeping in view the reported human cases of Swine Influenza A (HINI) caused by a re-assorted Swine flue virus, the Government has instituted a series of preventive actions that include surveillance at Ports and International Airports. /pp
The Health Ministry is keeping watch on the situation through Integrated Disease Surveillance units in the states and has issued travel advisory for those traveling to the affected areas to defer their plan./pp
The states have been advised to review their preparedness to investigate and contain any suspected cluster of influenza like illness. The Central Government would be supporting the states in terms of guidelines, experts, material logistics and laboratory support. /pp
The 24×7 call centre has been set up under Integrated Diseases Surveillance Project to attend calls from the public regarding reporting of influenza like illness. /pp
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported human cases of Swine Influenza A (HINI) caused by a re-assorted Swine flue virus. /pp
The cases first noticed in Mexico has spread to neighbouring United States and Canada. Suspected cases are also being reported from New Zealand, Spain, France and UK. /pp
As on date there are about 1200 suspect cases reported with about 86 deaths. The WHO has officially designated this outbreak as public health emergency of international concern. However, the WHO has yet not caused the pandemic alert phase. (ANI)/p

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Cops find going tough on the fake money trial

April 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

CHENNAI: The problem of counterfeit currency is growing at an alarming rate. There are 132 land customs check-points , 93 at ports and 36 at
international airports but the racketeers still manage to pump in lakhs of such currency. “The periodic seizures by the various law-enforcing agencies are only the tip of the iceberg. Those caught may not know, most of the time, the brain behind the racket ,” a senior police officer said.

In 2008, the Coimbatore police and banks detected as many as 170 cases of circulation of fake currency against none in 2007. Chennai reported 134 cases of counterfeit currency in 2008 and 7 in 2007.

According to sources, then Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta had sent a confidential report to all state chief secretaries to assign a nodal officer to curb the circulation of fake Indian currency notes (FICNs). Several government agencies were brought on one platform to share information.

“In 2008, banks across TN detected 612 cases of counterfeit currency while the state police unearthed 38. In 2007, banks detected 76 cases and the state police 37,” said CBCID additional director-general of police Archana Ramasundaram.

Sources said that about 5-10 % or Rs ,500 crore of the Rs 2,50,000 crore presently in circulation in the country is estimated to be counterfeit. The total seizure of fake currency in the country is about Rs 15 crore a year. The average life of a currency note is 9 to 10 months. Whenever there is a seizure of fake currency, the RBI announces that notes of a particular series are fake. Information can also be had at www.rbi.org.in.

Most Indian currency notes have 14 salient features. Some of them are watermarks , security thread, intaglio printing , optically variable ink (OVI), seethrough register of flower in front and back registration, number panel, micro letters, ID mark, register, latent image electrolyte water mark, omron anti-copying feature and optically variable ink.

Those arrested can be booked under Section 11 of the Customs Act, 1962, under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act, apart from Sections 489 (A) (counterfeiting currency notes), 489 (B) (using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency notes), 489 (C), 489 (D) and 489 (E) of the IPC.

It hasn’t helped that the country’s borders with Nepal and Bangladesh are porous. The Indo-Bangaldesh border at Dharam Nagar (north Tripura), Karimganj district of Assam and Malda in West Bengal are used to bring FICNs to the north-east . Flights from Dubai, especially to Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Mangalore , are considered sensitive as are those from Colombo to Chennai. Bangalore and Kozhikode are some of the distribution centres of FICNs.

According to DRI sources, the price of an FICN with a face value of Rs 1,000 ranges between Rs 350 and Rs 400 at the time of its entry into India. When it reaches a wholesale distributor, the price goes up to Rs 550-Rs 600 and further rises to Rs 750-Rs 800 at a retailer. According to sources, India’s borders with Pakistan, Nepal and Bangaldesh, the Samjhauta Express from Pakistan, and passengers coming by air from Dubai, Pakistan, Thailand , Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malysia are being monitored to check the flow of fake currency.

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Airports on high alert after terror threat

April 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) The Indian government Thursday asked airports around the country to adopt heightened security measures after an intelligence tip-off of a possible terror attack.

Official sources confirmed that a red alert has been sounded at airports across the country, especially in the four metros, as well as in Hyderabad, Bangalore and at some international airports like Amritsar.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has issued a circular asking all airports to be on high alert, an official confirmed.

‘We are not denying the fact that there is a terror threat but we have not circulated any instructions to the airports. This might have been done by some other agency,’ T. Premnath, the spokesperson for the Airports Authority of India (AAI), told IANS.

However, a senior AAI official said they were tipped off by intelligence agencies about the possibility of fidayeen (suicide squads) attacks by trained pilots and women.

Emergency anti-hijacking measures and multi-layered security arrangements have been put in place at most of the crucial airports, an official said.

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Bangkok loses 30 per cent air capacity since airport closures

March 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Bangkok – Bangkok’s status as an aviation hub for South-east Asia has suffered significantly from the closure of its two airports by protestors last year, with air capacity down 30 per cent, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has revealed.

“When the Bangkok airports were closed last year, the airlines had to find alternative routes so they flew out of Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong,” PATA President Greg Duffell said Wednesday night at the Foreign Corrspondents Club of Thailand. “And 30 per cent of that air capacity hasn’t come back.”

Bangkok’s two international airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, were shut down on November 26 to December 3 last year by anti-government protestors.

The closure cost Thailand’s billions of dollars in forfeited revenue off tourism and exports.

Partly because of the closures, that left an estimated 140,000 international tourists stranded in Bangkok, overall tourist arrivals to Thailand in the last quarter of 2008, tumbled 28 per cent, the steepest drop in Asia, according to PATA data.

The closure has also reduced Bangkok’s status as a hub for air traffic, especially to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

“Airlines have found that Malaysia is offering free landing fee, Singapore is paying airlines to land and Hong Kong offered some sort of incentives for them to land there, so they’ve found there are better alternatives to Thailand,” Duffell said.

PATA has estimated that while total tourist arrivals in the Asia-Pacific is likely to grow about 2 per cent this year, Thailand will underperform the region.

“Our prediction is that Thailand will have zero growth, or maybe negative 1 to 2 per cent growth,” the PATA president said.

“There is still a lack of confidence in Thailand,” Duffell said, referring to the airport closures. “It was only ten days but it will probably take ten years to get over that incident.” (dpa)

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