Geneva - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is monitoring events concerning the recent cases of ‘swine influenza’ in Mexico and the United States. On 25 April 2009 the World Health Organization (WHO) convened a meeting of its Emergency Committee, and subsequently determined that the situation represented a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ under the terms of the International Health Regulation (2005).
Guidelines for managing suspected communicable diseases during such public health events have been developed by IATA, in consultation with WHO, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Airports Council International (ACI) and are available on IATA's Communicable diseases and Air Transport pages.
At the present time, IATA recommends that airlines review their preparedness plans for public health emergency and consider how they may be implemented in the event that the current situation becomes more widespread. No specific additional measures are currently advised. Recommendations will be reviewed in light of WHO evaluation of the evolving situation.
Notes for editors:
- IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic.
- About Communicable diseases and Air Transport