Strengthening Aircraft Hygiene... Pathogens Detected in 1 out of 8 Flights

One out of eight flights was found to have pathogens detected.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 27th that, from July 31 to November 14, a total of 58 out of 493 flights tested positive for multiple pathogens during onboard hygiene inspections conducted through aircraft passenger quarantine. The pathogens detected included 39 cases of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, 32 cases of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, 4 cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and 4 cases of Salmonella.

Passenger quarantine aims to ensure a certain level of hygiene by having quarantine officers inspect the hygiene status inside aircraft after arrival from overseas, collect samples, and take necessary measures based on the results, thereby allowing citizens traveling abroad to enter the country in a healthy environment.

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Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the number of flights was reduced, and passenger quarantine was temporarily suspended from 2020 until July 30 of this year to focus on quarantine efforts. However, with the phased recovery of daily life leading to a rapid increase in flights and a shift to symptom-based quarantine, the KDCA resumed passenger quarantine on a trial basis for some flights starting July 31.

Over the past three months, 493 direct international flights were selected for onboard sample collection and testing for cholera and 10 types of intestinal bacteria. As a result, pathogens were detected in 58 flights (11.8%). The KDCA notified the respective airlines of the flights where pathogens were detected and requested cooperation for aircraft disinfection. The 10 types of intestinal bacteria tested include Vibrio species (cholera, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus), Salmonella species (typhoid, paratyphoid, and other Salmonella), Shigella, and pathogenic Escherichia coli (enterohemorrhagic, enterotoxigenic, enteropathogenic, enteroinvasive E. coli).

Regarding sample test results from Incheon Airport, pathogens were detected in 49 out of 222 flights, accounting for 22.1%. This increase is attributed to the expanded testing for pathogenic Escherichia coli, which can cause food poisoning if passengers consume contaminated food or water.

The KDCA plans to gradually increase the number of inspection locations, test items, and targeted flights within the trial passenger quarantine program to protect the health of passengers and crew and prevent the introduction of public health risks from overseas. Additionally, considering the recent surge in concerns about the overseas introduction of bedbugs and numerous complaints of bedbug bites on aircraft in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, the KDCA intends to develop quarantine capabilities for transportation means to enable scientifically based vector inspections for transport vehicles and cargo in stages.

Ji Young-mi, Director of the KDCA, stated, "With the phased recovery from COVID-19, the number of international flights is returning to normal levels, and overseas travel is rapidly increasing. We will strengthen hygiene management on aircraft accordingly." She added, "Through aircraft hygiene management, we aim to minimize blind spots in quarantine and encourage airlines to conduct voluntary inspections in accordance with the revised International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) international standards."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.