Plague prompts worldwide action

Health officials at airports around the world have responded to the outbreak of plague in India with measures ranging from screening passengers on arrival to banning all incoming flights from India (see editorial on p 893). At London's Heathrow airport last week port health inspectors were boarding all incoming flights to spray the atmosphere with an insecticide, pyrethrin, before passengers were allowed to disembark. Baggage was also being sprayed. All passengers were being issued with a pamphlet in various languages summarising the symptoms of plague and urging anyone feeling ill during the next three days to seek medical advice immediately.

Dr George Stewart, principle medical officer at Heathrow, said that airport staff …