A man from Congo and three individuals who had contact with him have been isolated in Ahmedabad, with their samples sent for Ebola testing, according to Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya. This action follows the Gujarat government’s recent decision to intensify screening measures for passengers arriving from Uganda, Congo, and South Sudan at Ahmedabad International Airport, amid an Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa, particularly in Congo.
The Centre has implemented intensive screening protocols for travelers coming from affected regions at the airport. Pansheriya previously chaired a review meeting to assess the state’s preparedness for potential Ebola cases, as reported by PTI. To date, no Ebola cases have been reported in India; however, the Gujarat health department has established special isolation beds at hospitals in Ahmedabad and Surat as a preventive measure. Health officials indicated that passengers arriving from the impacted African nations are under close surveillance.
Earlier in the day, a 28-year-old woman from Bengaluru, who arrived from Uganda exhibiting Ebola-like symptoms, tested negative, as confirmed by Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. In Telangana, Health Minister C. Damodar Rajanarasimha stated that there is no cause for concern, noting that no Ebola cases or suspected symptomatic patients have been identified in the state.
The World Health Organization has characterized the current outbreak as the third-largest incident of the Bundibugyo strain recorded and has classified it as a public health emergency of international concern. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare emphasized that the Government of India is closely monitoring the evolving situation regarding the Ebola virus disease in light of recent outbreaks reported in Africa.
