- Nagpur authorities placed a 47-year-old man from Uganda under 21-day home isolation
- The man shows no Ebola symptoms and is monitored by Nagpur Municipal Corporation health team
- India has no confirmed Ebola cases; a Bengaluru woman's test returned negative for Ebola virus
With the Ebola outbreak triggering global concern, authorities in Maharashtra's Nagpur have stepped up surveillance, issuing a high alert at the airport and placing a 47-year-old man who returned from Uganda under 21-day home isolation.
The precautionary move comes after a woman with a similar travel history was isolated in Bengaluru.
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) health department is closely monitoring the man's health round the clock. Officials said he has not shown any symptoms of Ebola so far.
The individual has stated that he did not come into contact with any Ebola patient during his stay in Uganda. However, as per health protocols, a medical team will regularly check his condition during the isolation period.
If any symptoms develop, arrangements have been made to immediately shift him to a hospital.
Special Preparedness In Place
Authorities have prepared a dedicated isolation ward at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Nagpur. Necessary life-saving medicines and equipment are also being arranged to handle any emergency situation.
Officials said strict surveillance is being maintained on passengers returning from African countries.
Health experts noted that there is currently no officially approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which has prompted authorities to exercise extreme caution.
Government Advisory And Global Concern
The heightened alert comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17.
Following this, the central government issued a travel advisory asking citizens to avoid visiting Ebola-affected regions.
No Confirmed Cases In India
Authorities have clarified that no case of Ebola has been confirmed in India so far.
Earlier, in Bengaluru, a 28-year-old woman who had travelled from Uganda was admitted to a state-run hospital after reporting mild body ache.
Officials had moved her from a hotel to a designated hospital, and her sample was sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV). The test result came back negative for Ebola.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also said it is closely monitoring the situation. It added that as a precaution, individuals with travel history to affected regions are being kept under observation in line with WHO guidelines.
Spreading Through Close Contact
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which spreads through close contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood, sweat, vomit or faeces. Healthcare workers and caregivers are considered to be at higher risk.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the outbreak has recorded over 900 suspected cases and more than 220 suspected deaths. He described the situation as a fast-moving epidemic requiring urgent attention.
