The Centre on Wednesday reviewed India’s preparedness against Ebola virus disease following a rise in cases and deaths linked to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
Union health secretary Punya Salila Srivastava chaired a high-level meeting with health secretaries from all states and Union territories after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
No Ebola Case Detected in India So Far
During the meeting, officials reviewed surveillance systems, screening protocols, quarantine procedures and hospital preparedness measures across the country.
The Union health ministry confirmed that no Ebola case has been detected in India so far.
According to officials, states and Union territories were directed to ensure readiness at every level of the healthcare system to deal with any possible threat arising from the outbreak.
Centre Issues SOPs for Screening and Quarantine
The Centre has already circulated detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to:
- Pre-arrival and post-arrival screening
- Quarantine measures
- Laboratory testing
- Case management
- Referral mechanisms
The Union health secretary emphasised the need for coordinated surveillance, timely reporting and preparedness at designated healthcare facilities.
Various ministries and departments have also reportedly been sensitised and are coordinating with the health ministry on surveillance and preventive measures.
India Draws on 2014 Ebola Response Experience
The health ministry highlighted that India has previous experience in handling Ebola-related preparedness during the 2014 outbreak in Africa, when similar precautionary measures were implemented successfully.
The Centre also appealed to citizens not to panic and advised people to continue following official health advisories and updates.
WHO Reports Over 500 Suspected Cases
According to the WHO, a total of 528 suspected Ebola cases and 132 deaths had been recorded in the DRC and Uganda as of May 18.
The outbreak has been linked to the Bundibugyo virus strain.
The WHO stated that authorities have identified 668 contacts connected to the outbreak, including:
- 541 contacts in the DRC
- 127 contacts in Uganda
However, the global health body noted that monitoring contacts has remained difficult in some regions of the DRC because of insecurity and movement restrictions.
Uganda Reports Limited Confirmed Cases
The WHO also said that Uganda had reported 12 suspected Ebola cases.
Out of these, two cases were confirmed through laboratory testing, while the remaining suspected cases tested negative.
