NEW DELHI: India has stepped up Ebola surveillance and screening measures at airports after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC), with health authorities issuing a fresh advisory for passengers arriving from or transiting through affected countries.The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), under the Union health ministry, has asked travellers coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan to immediately report to airport health officers if they experience symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, headache, sore throat, muscle pain or unexplained bleeding.The advisory, issued by the Airport Health Organisation (APHO), also directs passengers who had direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a suspected or confirmed Ebola patient to report at airport health desks before immigration clearance.Officials said travellers developing symptoms within 21 days of arrival have been advised to seek immediate medical care and inform healthcare authorities about their travel history.The health ministry has maintained that no Ebola case has been reported in India so far, but surveillance and preparedness measures are being strengthened as a precautionary step.Ebola is a severe viral disease that spreads through direct contact with infected blood or bodily fluids and can cause high fever, bleeding and multi-organ complications. Unlike airborne infections such as Covid-19, Ebola does not spread through casual contact, but experts say early detection and isolation remain critical to prevent outbreaks.The WHO declaration has prompted several countries to intensify monitoring of international travellers and strengthen public health preparedness systems.
