Delhi airport issues Ebola health advisory

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has issued a health advisory for passengers arriving from or transiting through Ebola-affected countries as part of a precautionary response to the outbreak, reports the Times of India.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issued the advisory specifically for travellers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has categorised as high-risk countries. It urges passengers experiencing symptoms including fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding to immediately report to the Airport Health Officer or health desk before immigration clearance. Travellers who have had direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a suspected or confirmed Ebola patient are also instructed to notify health authorities promptly.

Furthermore, any traveler developing symptoms within 21 days of arrival must seek immediate medical care and disclose their travel history to healthcare providers. The advisory has been displayed by the Airport Health Organisation (APHO).

The Indian government has implemented enhanced screening at IGI Airport, including thermal checks, health declaration verification, and isolation protocols.

On Wednesday, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava chaired a high-level meeting with health secretaries of all states and Union territories to assess preparedness and response measures for Ebola. Detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) covering screening, quarantine, case management, referral mechanisms, and laboratory testing have been shared with all states.

Officials have clarified that no Ebola cases have been detected in India so far. The heightened measures follow the WHO's declaration of the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The advisory is intended as a precautionary step to prevent the potential importation of the virus.