I understand both Canada and the US are implementing procedures for checking everyone coming from countries where Ebola is occuring for fever as well as watching for obvious signs of illness. I think something similar was done during the SARS pandemic a few years ago.
Seems like a good idea, BUT what is (or was) the protocol when a person who is feverish but not otherwise having signs of serious illness is discovered? There are numerous reasons (especially when coming from that neck of the woods) for having a fever or being ill on an aircraft (travel sickness from a rough flight comes to mind for nausea and vomiting, maybe associated with a cold). I find it hard to picture that many people being hustled into isolation units at the nearest major hospital.
Note that I am NOT arguing WHETHER to isolate such passengers, just HOW. What is/was the protocol for dealing with a suspect but not gravely ill passenger when they go through customs and immigration?
Some major airports in the United States apparently have on-site quarantine facilities. A further assessment would need to be done, possibly all the way up to full blood testing for the indicated disease which could take a couple days.
In the case of ebola at least, fever IS a major symptom. But as the OP surmised, fever is a major symptom of a LOT of other diseases as well. Thus the possibility of a quarantine facility becoming overwhelmed. Pre-screening passengers at their point of departure in the affected areas is a major step towards preventing quarantine overload at destination airports.
No, they won’t. I wouldn’t hang out in Ebola rooms for fun, but Ebola is spread through fulids and you aren’t likely to get it just sharing a room with someone in the early stages, especially if that room is cleaned properly.