Gujarat reported its first suspected Ebola case on Monday after a 37-year-old passenger who travelled from Congo to Vadodara via Mumbai was identified during health screening at Ahmedabad airport and shifted to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for further examination, officials said.
The passenger showed symptoms linked to infectious haemorrhagic fever, prompting doctors to admit him for observation. Blood samples will now be collected and sent for detailed laboratory testing to confirm whether it is an Ebola infection.
Health authorities clarified that the case is only “suspected” at this stage and that no confirmed Ebola case has been reported in Gujarat or anywhere else in India so far.
The development comes amid growing concerns over Ebola outbreaks in several African countries, including Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.
Following the alert, the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has increased surveillance and precautionary measures for passengers arriving from Ebola-affected countries.
Officials said 11 passengers who recently arrived in Ahmedabad from Uganda, Congo and South Sudan have been placed under home isolation as a precautionary measure. All of them reportedly live in western parts of Ahmedabad.
According to the health department, none of these passengers have shown Ebola symptoms so far, nor have they come into contact with confirmed Ebola patients abroad. However, home isolation has now been made mandatory for all passengers arriving from affected African countries.
To strengthen preparedness, authorities have set up a dedicated 30-bed quarantine ward at SVP Hospital for suspected Ebola patients.
Health officials said Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has become a global Public Health Emergency of International Concern, leading to stricter screening and surveillance at airports.
Under guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, international passengers are now required to submit Self Declaration Forms (SDFs) upon arrival.
Officials said announcements regarding these forms are being made onboard flights to avoid crowding and reduce infection risks at airports.
Around 247 frontline health workers have been deployed at airport arrival areas for passenger screening and monitoring.
At Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, intensive screening is currently being carried out daily between 6 pm and 10 am for passengers arriving from Uganda, Congo and South Sudan.
Authorities stressed that the screening process is targeted only at travellers from affected countries and said there is no need for panic among the general public.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ebola cases have increased in Congo’s Ituri province, where around 80 deaths and 246 suspected infections have reportedly been recorded.
Health experts said the current outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which has raised concerns because most available vaccines and treatments were mainly developed for the Zaire strain.
Ebola Virus Disease was first identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in Africa and is known for its high fatality rate, which can range from 25 to 90 per cent during severe outbreaks.
The virus spreads through direct contact with the blood, saliva, vomit and other bodily fluids of infected individuals.