New Delhi: The Indian government has stepped up health surveillance measures for international travellers arriving from Ebola-affected regions in Africa, issuing a fresh advisory aimed at preventing any potential spread of the deadly virus within the country.
The advisory, released by the Directorate General of Health Services, directs passengers travelling from or transiting through high-risk nations to immediately inform airport health officials if they experience symptoms associated with Ebola or have a history of exposure to infected individuals.
Countries identified as high-risk by the World Health Organization include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.
The health alert has been prominently displayed at Indira Gandhi International Airport by the Airport Health Organisation as part of enhanced precautionary protocols.
Passengers have been advised to remain alert for symptoms including high fever, fatigue, severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, sore throat and unexplained bleeding. The advisory further instructs travellers who may have come into direct contact with blood or bodily fluids of suspected or confirmed Ebola patients to report immediately to airport medical authorities before completing immigration procedures.
Officials have also cautioned that anyone developing symptoms within 21 days of entering India should seek urgent medical attention and disclose their recent travel history to healthcare providers.
Amid rising international concern over Ebola outbreaks in parts of Africa, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava chaired a high-level preparedness review with health officials from states and Union territories earlier this week. The meeting focused on surveillance systems, emergency response coordination and containment strategies.
Government sources clarified that India has not reported any Ebola case so far. However, authorities said preparedness measures have been strengthened nationwide after the WHO categorised the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Detailed standard operating procedures covering airport screening, quarantine measures, referral systems, laboratory testing and hospital preparedness have already been circulated among states and Union territories.
According to officials, multiple ministries and departments are coordinating with the Union health ministry to intensify preventive monitoring and ensure rapid response mechanisms remain in place in case of any suspected infection.
