The spread of Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a terrifying topic in the news. As the deadly microbe continues to spread from person to person in affected regions of West Africa and beyond, with confirmed cases in Dallas, and Madrid, the world is looking for viable solutions for containing Ebola and those who have come in contact with it.
Biometric technology is playing a role in mitigating the cases of Ebola, providing secure border and immigration control in West Africa thanks to deployments of Securiport solutions in seven of the region’s nations. Securiport’s advanced biometric screening technology uses ultrasound to collect strong biological identifiers. When combined with the company’s data analytics and visualization offerings, immigration officials have a powerful risk assessment tool, leveraging big data and strong identification to better understand the travel patterns on individuals at border crossings.
Considering that an infected person may not show the signs of Ebola immediately – symptoms don’t manifest until weeks after infection – accurate data concerning where a traveler has been and what she’s been doing might be the best way to stay safe in this cautious time.
Anibal Cheble, Securiport Sierra Leone’s general manager says that managing the population flow between countries is one of the more complex challenges in fighting Ebola.
“Our intelligent biometric technology and data analytics keep governments informed and empowered,” says Cheble. “With our tools, they can effectively monitor the flow of people from across borders, making it easier to stop the virus from transferring from region to region.”
According to a press release on the Securiport website, the company’s immigration systems are active in Sierra Leone, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Equatorial Guinea. New deployments in Liberia and Guinea are awaiting activation.
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October 7, 2014 – by Peter B. Counter
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