Global Airport News

EUROPE:

AUSTRIA — Has stocks of antiviral drugs sufficient to treat 4 million people (half the population) and has secured production capacity for prophylactic vaccines for the entire population. It has also stockpiled 8 million protective masks.

BOSNIA — Recommended citizens to avoid travel to infected countries. Bosnia's Muslim-Croat federation has stocks of 12,000 boxes of Tamiflu and other anti-virals, enough to cover up to 3 percent of the population of around 2 million. Bosnia's Serb Republic has about 400 doses of Oseltamivir anti-viral medicine.

BRITAIN — Launched a major advertising campaign to combat the threat of the flu, popularly referred to as swine flu. The "Catch it, Bin it, Kill it!" adverts urge people to use tissues when they sneeze, dispose of them and then wash their hands.

— Leaflets giving advice about the new H1N1 flu virus are to be sent to every home in Britain from May 5.

— Advises nationals against non-vital travel to Mexico. Routine consular and all visa services at its embassy in Mexico City have been suspended. Travel firm Thomas Cook is cancelling all flights to Mexico until May 5.

— Has antiviral stockpiles for treatment of 50 percent of the population.

BULGARIA — Advises nationals against non-vital travel to Mexico. Two thermal scanners have been installed at Sofia airport. Customs officers are also checking the luggage of passengers arriving from Mexico, the United States, Canada and Japan to ensure they are not importing pork products.

CZECH REPUBLIC — Circulating general information on the viral strain to hospitals, doctors and general practitioners. Has stocks of 2 million doses of Tamiflu, enough to treat one fifth of the population. At Prague Airport, information boards on the flu have been put up and medical tests are available.

DENMARK — A general pandemic plan has been in place since the bird flu scare. Denmark has stockpiled Tamiflu.

FRANCE — A national information campaign will be launched next week. Passengers arriving from Mexico will be tracked and their health checked. Strongly advises against travelling to Mexico.

— Has stocks of more than 30 million antiviral treatments, composed of 24 million doses of Tamiflu and 9 million doses of Relenza.

GERMANY — Advises nationals against non-vital travel to Mexico.

GREECE — Authorities will step up monitoring and information measures at the country's main entry points. More infra-red scanners will be installed in some of the country's 21 international airports. Two such scanners are already installed at the main airports of Athens and Thessaloniki.

— Has "strategic stocks" of antiviral medicines and has banned the export of anti-flu drugs Relenza (zanamivir) and Tamiflu (oseltamivir). Leaflets are being handed out at the airport. Passengers coming from infected countries are being tracked and doctors at the airport will carry out checks.

HUNGARY — Has installed medical imaging cameras in Budapest's main Ferihegy airport to monitor passengers for the virus. The cameras and linked computers analyse the electromagnetic radiation of the human body.

ITALY – Pamphlets are being handed to passengers at Rome's international airport. Italy has 10 million doses of Zanamivir (Relenza) and 60,000 doses of Tamiflu as well as enough Tamiflu powder to make 30 million doses. Italy recommends travellers returning from Mexico stay at home for seven days, particularly school age children.

NETHERLANDS – Has taken up an option of 19 million vaccines against the virus.

NORWAY — Has stored flu medicine covering one-third of the 4.7 million population.

PORTUGAL — Two charter flights to Mexico due to depart next week have been suspended. Has stocks of 2.5 million doses of Tamiflu, sufficient to treat a quarter of the population.

* ROMANIA — Capacity now to treat around 460,000 cases with anti-viral medication and can produce up to 7 million doses of anti-flu vaccine per month if needed.

— Recommends people avoid travelling to Mexico. Also heightened epidemiological monitoring in airports across the country and at border customs.

RUSSIA — Recommends Russians avoid trips to Mexico.

— Has ban on raw meat imports from the U.S. states of Indiana and New Jersey. Russia also bans all types of raw meat and meat products originating from the states of California, Texas and New York. A ban on raw pork and pork products will be applied to Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and Florida.

— Has applied a ban on meat imports from Mexico and countries of Central America and the Caribbean.

SERBIA — Implementing a set of sanitary and pre-emptive measures, including distribution of leaflets to passengers going to or arriving from countries with recorded cases. Stockpiles of antivirals will be tripled.

SLOVAKIA – With a population of 5.4 million, it has around 700,000 doses of Tamiflu in state reserves.

SLOVENIA – Has 500,000 units of Tamiflu, enough to treat a quarter of Slovenia's population.

SPAIN — Distributes leaflets to passengers arriving from Mexico. Flights to Mexico are being equipped with face masks and gloves. Spain has a stockpile of 10 million doses of Tamiflu.

TURKEY — Carrying out health tests on passengers at airports and harbours arriving from infected countries and advises postponing non-essential travel to these countries. Thermal imaging cameras were installed in the main airports.

UKRAINE — Bans imports of live pigs and pork meat from countries where cases of swine flu have been recorded – Mexico, the United States, Canada and New Zealand. All shipments received after April 21 are subject to the ban.