Ebola alert: No confirmed case in India; first suspected case in Gujarat; Returnee from Uganda in isolation in Nagpur

After a Ugandan woman tested negative for Ebola in Bengaluru, a suspected case of the virus was reportedly detected in Gujarat and the man was placed under home isolation in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

According to NDTV, authorities in Nagpur have placed the 47-year-old man, who had returned from Uganda, under home isolation for 21 days.

Officials told media that the man has not yet shown any symptoms of Ebola, but the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) health department is monitoring his health round the clock.

Read also | Ebola update: Ugandan woman quarantined in Bengaluru has tested negative

The individual claimed that he had not come into contact with any Ebola patient during his stay in Uganda. However, as per medical protocols, the medical team will regularly check his condition during the isolation period, NDTV reported.

If the man shows any symptoms, arrangements have been made to take him to hospital immediately. According to the report, the authorities have set up a dedicated isolation ward at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Nagpur.

First suspected case of Ebola in Gujarat

A 37-year-old man from Vadodara, who hailed from Ebola-stricken Congo in Africa, reportedly developed symptoms of the viral disease. He was immediately shifted to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, News18 Gujarati reported. He was kept in the isolation ward.

Gujarat minister Praful Panseria told IANS: “A suspected case was reported in Vadodara yesterday. The person was living in Congo. He came to Mumbai and then Vadodara for business purposes. He is suffering from fever and cold.”

Read also | Canada has imposed a travel ban on people from Congo, Uganda and Sudan because of Ebola

He specified that “Ebola has not yet been confirmed”.

“Actually, there is no case in the entire country. For safety, he and his two friends were quarantined and there is no need to worry,” Panseria said.

He added, “We are following the Centre’s guidelines. We have made additional wards operational in Ahmedabad and Surat civil hospitals. Staff have also been trained.”

No Ebola in Karnataka, Ugandan woman tests negative

A 28-year-old Ugandan woman suspected of showing symptoms of the Ebola virus has tested negative, Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Wednesday.

“A suspected case of Ebola reported in the state was negative after laboratory testing. Health authorities have confirmed that the individual is not infected with the Ebola virus,” the state’s health minister said in a post on X.

Read also | Mint Explainer: Why is India stepping up Ebola screening?

According to officials, the woman, who came from an Ebola-hit area, was shifted from a hotel to the Bengaluru State Epidemic Hospital on Tuesday after she developed mild symptoms like body aches, PTI reported.

“All required medical protocols and precautions were strictly followed in accordance with established public health guidelines,” he added.

Read also | Ebola outpaces containment in eastern Congo as contact tracing falters

Rao said the Karnataka Health Department continues to closely monitor the situation and is fully prepared to take all necessary measures in the interest of public health and safety.

“Citizens are advised not to panic, follow the prescribed health guidelines and rely only on official information and recommendations issued by the government and the Ministry of Health,” he added.

Fear of Ebola

As the spread of Ebola has sparked global concern, no case of the virus has been confirmed in India so far. However, immediate action was taken in states where suspected cases were reported.

While the suspected case in Karnataka tested negative for Ebola, the man placed in isolation in Nagpur showed no symptoms. Meanwhile, a man who came to Gujarat from Congo was detected with several symptoms of Ebola.

The World Health Organization declared the ongoing Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 17 May.

According to the WHO website, Ebola is a serious, often fatal disease affecting humans and other primates.

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The virus is transmitted to humans from wild animals (such as bats, porcupines, and subhuman primates) and then spreads in the human population through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other body fluids of infected humans, as well as surfaces and materials (such as bedding and clothing) contaminated with these fluids.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is monitoring the evolving Ebola situation following the recent outbreak reported in parts of Africa, while officials said no case of the Ebola virus has been confirmed in India so far.