EU researchers are helping national and regional transportation hubs to better mitigate the risks of the spread of transmissible pathogens.
In 2014 there were 3.3 billion flights around the world, 44 % of which were long haul. Furthermore, the number of airline passengers is forecast to double over the course of the next 15 years, meaning the risk of the quick and – at times – uncontrollable spread of naturally or intentionally released person-to-person transmissible pathogens, such as Ebola and anthrax, is on the rise.
More so, although air travel is the main culprit for the global spreading of these pathogens, the risk is not limited to the skies. The high-density mass transport systems found in many European cities also help accelerate the spread of infectious diseases.
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