Ngemuva kokufika kwendiza yakhe yakamuva e-Atlanta, owesifazane oneminyaka engu-57 ubudala utshele abezimo eziphuthumayo ukuthi ubelokhu ephalaza futhi ezizwa ecanuzela inhliziyo. Igciwane lalihlasele umndeni wakhe.
“Wonke umuntu emndenini unalokhu,” kusho yena.
Nganoma iluphi usuku, abagibeli abalwa nezifo ezithathelwanayo zazo zonke izinhlobo badlula esikhumulweni sezindiza sase-Atlanta e-Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Abanye bagula kangangoba kubizwe abezimo eziphuthumayo ukuze babasize. Kodwa izindiza ngokuvamile zivumela abagibeli abagulayo ukuba bandize futhi abavamile ukuthobela imithetho edinga ukuthi bazise iCenters for Disease Control and Prevention ngezifo ezithile.
Izinkampani zezindiza zithe akulula ukwazi ukuthi ubani ogulayo nokuthi ubike ini.
"Abantu abagulayo akufanele bahambe," kusho uDkt. Martin Cetron, umqondisi we-CDC's division of global migration and quarantine. “Akukuhle kuwe nokugula kwakho. Ayilungile neze kwabanye abagibeli.”
Kodwa abantu abagulayo bayahamba noma kunjalo. Ngo-Okthoba noNovemba kuphela, abezokwelapha baphendule okungenani imibiko engama-75 yabantu esikhumulweni sezindiza bekhala ngokuhlanza, isicanucanu, isifo sohudo, umkhuhlane, umphimbo obuhlungu kanye nokukhwehlela. Abanye babeneningi lalezi zimpawu ngesikhathi esisodwa, ngokusho kwamarekhodi e-Atlanta Fire-Rescue Department.
Omunye umgibeli ubegula kusukela eya eCalifornia cishe isonto eledlule, kodwa wandiza waya e-Atlanta, ehlanza futhi ekhishwa yisisu endizeni. Omunye wayegule amasonto amabili ngenkathi esePeru, mhlawumbe ephethwe umalaleveva, wayecabanga. Naphezu komkhuhlane, wandizela e-Atlanta.
Izikhulu zemboni yezindiza zathi abasebenzi bazo ababona ochwepheshe bezokwelapha abaqeqeshiwe. Bazokwazi kanjani ukuthi umuntu unomkhuhlane, ngaphandle uma uphezulu kakhulu? Ngaphandle kwalokho, bathe, indiza ayinamathuba amaningi okuthi isakaze izifo kunanoma iyiphi enye indawo egcwele abantu.
Izinkampani zezindiza zingakwenqaba ukugibela kubagibeli, nakuba kungekho ongasho ukuthi zikwenza kangaki.
“Uma othile efika ezondiza ehogela kancane, lokho akusho ukuthi kuzodonsa amehlo noma kusolwe,” kusho uKatherine Andrus, umsizi womeluleki jikelele we-Air Transport Association.
Imithetho kahulumeni idinga izinkampani zezindiza ukuthi zazise ngokushesha izikhulu zezempilo nganoma isiphi isifo somgibeli noma izisebenzi ezihlanganisa isifo sohudo noma umkhuhlane wezinsuku ezimbili noma yimuphi umkhuhlane onokuqubuka, izindlala ezivuvukele noma i-jaundice ngaphambi kokuba indiza yabo ifike esikhumulweni sezindiza.
I-CDC icele ukuthi izinkampani zezindiza zibike noma ngubani onomkhuhlane kanye nobunzima bokuphefumula, ikhanda elibuhlungu lentamo eqinile, izinga lokuphaphama elinciphile noma ukopha ngendlela engaqondakali. Izimpawu ezinjalo “zingase zibonise ukugula okungathi sína, okuthathelwanayo,” kusho le nhlangano.
Nakuba ukudluliswa kwezifo ezimbi kakhulu endizeni kukholakala ukuthi kuyivelakancane, akekho owaziyo ukuthi imikhuhlane, umkhuhlane kanye ne-norovirus yesisu kusakazeka kangaki phakathi kwabagibeli.
UJohn Spengler, uprofesa wezempilo yezemvelo eHarvard School of Public Health, uthe ukusondelana isikhathi eside kunikeza ukuhamba kwendiza ithuba elikhethekile lokusabalalisa izifo.
"Izinkampani zezindiza zinokungena komoya okuhle kakhulu," kusho uSpengler, ephawula ukuthi umoya ojikelezwe kabusha uhlanzwa ngokuphindaphindiwe ngezihlungi ze-HEPA ezindizeni eziningi. Kodwa akukho ukuzungeza imingcele eqinile yesihlalo sekilasi labaqeqeshi endizeni egcwele --kanye nomuntu ogulayo ohlezi eduze kwakho amahora.
I-CDC ikhathazekile ngokuhlonza nokumisa ukusabalala kwezifo ezisukela kumvukuzane, isifo sofuba kanye ne-meningitis yebhaktheriya, kuye kwa-SARS kanye nemikhuhlane yokopha engavamile njenge-Ebola. Ukubika ngezindiza kuthathwa njengokubalulekile ekuphenduleni ubhubhane lomkhuhlane.
Kodwa izinkampani zezindiza azivamile ukubika abagibeli abagulayo ukuze i-CDC ikwazi ukubahlola, kusho uCetron. “Okuningi esikufundayo kungemuva kweqiniso” njengasezibhedlela, esho.
I-CDC ayikutholi nokubika okuphelele kwakho konke ukufa kwabantu ezindizeni, kusho uCetron.
Kusukela ngoJanuwari kuze kube maphakathi no-Okthoba, uhlelo lweCDC lokuvalelwa yedwa luthole imibiko eyi-1,607 ezweni lonke yabahambi ababegula noma abafela ezindizeni, imikhumbi noma ezinye izindlela zokuhamba; Imibiko eyi-100 ibandakanya isiteshi sokuvalelwa kwabantu eHartsfield, esisebenzela iGeorgia, Tennessee kanye neCarolinas. Amacala amaningi, ngemva kokuhlolwa, awazange adinge ukungenelela kwe-CDC okwengeziwe.
NgoZibandlela odlule, owesifazane ogula kakhulu, okhwehlelayo onesifo sofuba esingazweli emithini eminingi wahamba ngendiza esuka eNdiya eya eChicago, wabe eseya eCalifornia. Umuntu oyedwa owayendize naye kamuva waba ne-TB lapho ehlolwa, nakuba izikhulu ze-CDC zathi lo mhambi wayehlale ezweni elinezinga eliphezulu le-TB, okwenza ukuthi umthombo wokuchayeka ungacaci.
Ezinyangeni eziyisikhombisa ngaphambili, u-Andrew Somlomo wase-Atlanta, owayengenazo izimpawu zangaphandle noma ukukhwehlela, wahlukaniswa iziphathimandla zenhlangano esigamekweni esasakazwa kakhulu ngemva kokundizela eGreece futhi wabuya ne-TB engazweli emishanguzweni. Ukuhlolwa kwatholakala ukuthi akekho obambe lesi sifo kuSomlomo.
Ngo-2004, usomabhizinisi oneminyaka engu-38 ubudala owayegula ngeLassa fever --isifo esibangelwa yigciwane ukopha - -wandiza esuka eNtshonalanga Afrika edlula eLondon eya eNewark. Ubesegule izinsuku ezintathu futhi eqhubeka nokuba nomkhuhlane, ukugodola, umphimbo obuhlungu, isifo sohudo kanye nobuhlungu beqolo endizeni yakhe. Inkampani yezindiza ayizange ibike ngesigameko kwa-CDC, kusho uCetron. Ngemva kwamahora ambalwa ifikile e-United States, le ndoda yalaliswa esibhedlela. Ubenezinga lokushisa elingu-103.6 degrees futhi washona ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kamuva.
Nalapha abekho abagibeli abangenwe yilesi sifo. Kepha ucwaningo olumbalwa lubhale amacala lapho izifo ezimbi zisakazwa ezindizeni, okubandakanya isifo sofuba, umkhuhlane kanye ne-SARS.
Ezimweni eziningi, izihloko zesayensi zihlanganisa isigameko esisodwa. Ngakho-ke izifo zisakazeka kaningi kangakanani endizeni?
“Ubuza noma ubani ondizayo futhi bonke banomuzwa wokuthi le ndawo iyimbangela,” kusho uSpengler kaHarvard. “Kodwa sinabuphi ubufakazi? Ngeshwa asinabo ubufakazi obuningi ngaphandle kwalezo zifundo zecala.”
U-Spengler uyingxenye ye-multi-university Centre of Excellence for Airliner Cabin Environment Research, ehlola ukuthi amaconsi amancane asatshalaliswa kanjani kumajethi ukuze aklame izindlela ezingcono zokuqeda ukungcola endaweni yezindiza.
Ngenkathi kuqoqwa ubufakazi besayensi, uSpengler, njengabanye ochwepheshe bezokuvakasha nezempilo, uthatha ezakhe izindlela zokuzivikela. “Angikukhuthalele ukugeza izandla,” esho. Futhi usebenzisa ithawula lephepha ukuvula umnyango wendlu yangasese.
Uma isihambi sibonisa izimpawu zokungenwa izifo, uSpengler uphakamisa umlomo wombhobho womoya ngaphezu kwesihlalo sakhe ukuze avuthele umoya ohlungiwe uye ngakuye. Ngincamela ukuba nesivikelo esengeziwe esincane kunokungabi naso.
UGULA ESIkhumulweni sezindiza
Odokotela abanoMnyango Wokuhlenga Umlilo wase-Atlanta baphendula izingcingo eziphuthumayo ezingaba ngu-4,000 ngonyaka ezibandakanya abantu esikhumulweni sezindiza sase-Hartsfield-Jackson International. I-Atlanta Journal-Constitution yasebenzisa i-Georgia Open Records Act ukuze ithole isizindalwazi somnyango semibiko ka-2007 no-2008. Imibiko ayikuniki ukuxilonga, okuvamise ukudinga ukuthi kwenziwe umsebenzi walebhu kwenye indawo. Nazi ezimbalwa nje:
> Umshayeli wendiza ogulayo: NgoMashi, umshayeli wendiza oneminyaka engu-24 ubekade elwa nezimpawu zomkhuhlane kanye nomkhuhlane, okuhlanganisa nomkhuhlane, usuku lonke. Waya emsebenzini noma kunjalo. Ngemva kokuhlalisa indiza yakhe e-Atlanta, waquleka. Osebenza endizeni utshele abezokwelapha ukuthi uphumile umzuzu owodwa kuya kwemibili. Umshayeli wendiza kanye nenkampani yezindiza abahlonzwanga kudatha.
> Ukukhwehlela okubi: Indoda eneminyaka engu-37 ubudala yatshela abezokwelapha ngo-Okthoba ukuthi yayinezinhlungu emzimbeni futhi yayikhwehlela isikhwehlela esiluhlaza. Uthe uke wabanjwa umalaleveva ngesikhathi esebenza e-Afrika wathi odokotela bamcebisa ukuthi abuyele e-US ukuze ayokwelashwa ngoba isimo sakhe asikabi ngcono.
> I-High fever: Indoda eneminyaka engu-29 ubudala eyayiphethwe umkhuhlane we-102.8, isiyezi, isicanucanu nokuhlanza itshele abezimo eziphuthumayo ngoJulayi ukuthi yatholwa inegciwane ezinsukwini ezinhlanu ngaphambili futhi yayingasawadli.
> Ukuquleka ngesikhathi silindile: Ngesikhathi imi kulayini ekhawunta ye-Delta, indoda eneminyaka engu-26 ubudala yaquleka ngoJanuwari, yagedla izinyo layo phezu kwekhawunta ngesikhathi iwa. Le ndoda itshele abezempilo ukuthi kutholakale ukuthi ine-strep throat ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ezedlule yathi isenomkhuhlane.
> I-chickenpox engenzeka: Izikhulu zeCustoms zabiza abezokwelapha ngo-August ukuze bahlole umfana oneminyaka emine ubudala owayendize esuka eNigeria ehamba nomama wakhe, owathi angase abe nenkukhu.
ONGAKWENZA
"Ngeke ukwazi ukulawula ukuthi abantu balethe ini endizeni, kodwa ungaba nokulawula okuthile," kusho uHeidi Giles MacFarlane, iphini likamongameli wezinsizakalo zokuphendula emhlabeni wonke ze-MedAire, inkampani ehlinzeka ngokubonisana kwezokwelapha ezindizeni.
Ngonyaka odlule i-MedAire yathola izingcingo ezingaphezu kuka-17,000 ezindizeni ezivela ezinhlanganweni zezindiza zomhlaba ezingama-74 ezisebenza kuzo.
Ochwepheshe bezokuvakasha nezempilo bayeluleka:
> Ungahambi uma ugula. Cabanga ngabanye abagibeli abasengozini enkulu: Abantu abanamasosha omzimba abuthaka ngenxa yezifo, ukwelashwa komdlavuza noma ukufakelwa kabusha; izingane ezincane kakhulu kanye nabantu abadala.
> Tshela inkampani yakho yezindiza: Izinkampani zezindiza ngezinye izikhathi zizovumela abagibeli abagulayo ukuthi bahlehlise noma bashintshe indiza yabo futhi bahoxise noma yiziphi izindleko, kodwa zikwenza esimweni ngasinye futhi zingase zidinge incwadi kadokotela.
ONGAKWENZA
> Thenga umshwalense wokuhamba. Ngesikhathi ubhukha uhambo lwakho, thenga umshwalense okhokhela izindleko zethikithi lakho uma ugula noma ulimele. Ohambweni lwaphesheya, thola umshwalense wokuhamba ozokhokhela ukuphuma kwakho kwezokwelashwa ubuyele e-United States.
> Geza izandla zakho. Futhi kwenze ngendlela efanele: Ngensipho namanzi afudumele, agelezayo okungenani imizuzwana engama-20. Phatha isibulali magciwane esisekelwe etshwaleni njengesipele.
> Gwema ukuthinta izindawo. Akubona bonke abageza izandla zabo endlini yokugezela -- kodwa mhlawumbe babambe isibambo somnyango lapho behamba. Sebenzisa ithawula lephepha ukuvula umnyango. Futhi gwema ukuthinta ezinye izindawo ezingase zifukamele amagciwane noma amagciwane, njengamatafula ethreyi lendiza kanye nezindawo zokubala zamathikithi esikhumulweni sezindiza.
> Cela esinye isihlalo. Uma omunye umgibeli egula kangangokuthi kukwenza ungakhululeki, khuluma. Yazisa abasebenzi bendiza, ikakhulukazi ngaphambi kokugibela. Uma umuntu ehlezi eduze kwakho, buza ukuthi ungasuswa yini.
> Thola isibhamu somkhuhlane. Njengoba sekusondele inkathi yomkhuhlane omkhulu, akukephuzi kakhulu.
> Yazi izifo zendawo. Uma uya kwamanye amazwe, ungase udinge okunye ukudubula noma imithi ukuze ikuvikele. I-CDC inezeluleko ezinemininingwane ku: wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx
