India advises against travel to Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan due to Ebola-related emergency | Today’s news
New Delhi: India on Sunday issued an emergency advisory ordering citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and South Sudan.
The travel warning issued by the Department of Health was in response to a growing outbreak of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus in central Africa.
Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo species causes a severe viral hemorrhagic fever with high mortality. There are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments available for this particular species.
While India has not reported any cases of the virus, the ministry has subscribed to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations to strengthen border security.
On 17 May, the WHO officially designated the crisis a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared it a Continental Security Public Health Emergency. Neighboring South Sudan has also been identified as a high-risk zone for transmission.
Read also | The Ebola epidemic is now the third largest in history. Here’s what to know.
“Surveillance protocols have been strengthened at entry checkpoints to detect, assess, report and manage travelers with unexplained febrile illness arriving from areas with documented Bundibugyo virus detection,” the Department of Health said in a statement.
Improved screening
Enhanced screening is being prepared at key international transit points. Indian citizens currently residing in or traveling through high-risk countries are strongly urged to follow local health protocols and observe maximum precautionary safety measures, the ministry added.
Dr Aashish Chaudhry, Managing Director of Aakash Healthcare in Delhi, said:Ebola is one of the deadliest viral outbreaks in the world, currently witnessing a mortality rate of over 20% with no definitive cure or universally available treatment. While India has not reported any outbreaks, preparedness and prevention must remain our highest priority. Strengthening airport controls, mandatory quarantine and isolation protocols for travelers arriving from affected areas, and stricter monitoring of international movement are essential steps to protect public health.”
“The recent cancellation of a global summit in India due to the outbreak underscores the seriousness of the situation. Public awareness, rapid response systems and health care preparedness can go a long way in preventing any potential spread,” Dr Chaudhry added.
Read also | India has taken precautionary measures as WHO has declared Ebola an emergency
Meanwhile, Rajeev Jayadevan, a public health expert and former president of the Indian Medical Association, Cochin, said: “The Ebola outbreak in Africa, according to the latest report on sequencing the genome of the virus, is likely to be caused by a new spillover rather than a previously circulating virus. Therefore, it is more difficult to detect and prevent. The virus jumps to humans from infected animals such as bats, usually through blood or raw meat through contact with blood. hunting and butchery.”
The outbreak is escalating
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a significant escalation of the ongoing Bundibugyo virus epidemic. From May 21 Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) documented 746 suspected cases and 176 deaths.
There are currently 85 laboratory-confirmed cases in both the DRC and Uganda, resulting in 10 deaths. While the virus is spreading primarily through the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, health officials have detected several imported cases in Kampala, Uganda.
Read also | Ebola outpaces containment in eastern Congo as contact tracing falters
Formerly, Mint said Union Health Minister Punya Salila Srivastava chaired a high-level assessment meeting with health ministers of all states and union territories to assess national preparedness. Srivastava emphasized the need for coordinated domestic surveillance and early reporting, distribution of detailed standard operating procedures including pre-arrival screening, quarantine protocols and hospital preparedness.
