NIGERIA SUSPENDS GAMBIA AIRLINES

Following the outbreak of the Ebola virus and with increasing cases of infection, Nigeria has suspended the Gambian national airline from flying into the country. It was reported that the measures put in place by the Gambian airline to contain the virus were "unsatisfactory".

"NCAA (Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority) has reviewed the measures put in place by your airline as contained in your letter of 30th July, 2014 and have found these measures unsatisfactory," NCAA said in a letter to Gambia Bird Airlines. "Consequently, your flights into Nigeria have been temporarily suspended with immediate effect until such a time that you are able to put in place acceptable and satisfactory measures," the letter stated.

NCAA is the government agency that serves as a watchdog for all airlines operating in the country.

Nigeria Health officials waiting to screen passengers at the Lagos Airport

The Gambian national carrier flies to Lagos twice weekly. It also flies to other African countries in the region including Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Senegal.

NCAA said that part of its efforts to curb the spread of the virus was to direct all airlines operating into Nigeria from Guinea, Freetown and Monrovia "to put in place adequate measures to ensure that passengers with this disease are not boarded and brought into the country...such measures may include suspension of flights into these countries."

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a national emergency over the deadly Ebola virus.