The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said it is closely monitoring the evolving situation of Ebola Virus Disease following recent outbreaks reported in parts of Africa.
The government stated that, as a precautionary measure, an individual with recent travel history from Uganda was placed under isolation at the state-run Epidemic Diseases Hospital in Bengaluru after reporting mild body ache symptoms.
Officials clarified that the person was otherwise healthy apart from mild body aches. A sample was collected and sent to the National Institute of Virology for laboratory testing, and the result returned negative for Ebola Virus Disease.
The Ministry, in coordination with concerned state authorities, said it is maintaining close surveillance and ensuring all necessary public health protocols are being followed in line with World Health Organization guidelines. It further confirmed that no case of Ebola Virus Disease has been detected in India.
Reiterating its preparedness, the government said screening and surveillance measures are continuing at all designated points of entry, including airports and border health facilities, as well as across the wider public health system. Citizens have been advised not to panic, avoid spreading misinformation, and rely only on official sources for updates.
Health authorities also stressed that India remains vigilant in view of global disease patterns and continues to strengthen its early detection and response mechanisms to prevent any potential spread of infection.
Meanwhile, according to the latest figures shared by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is likely much larger than the currently confirmed numbers, with active transmission continuing to spread across affected regions.
In a post on X, Tedros said 101 Ebola cases, including 10 deaths, have so far been confirmed in the DRC. However, he warned that the actual scale of the outbreak may be significantly higher, with more than 900 suspected cases and 220 suspected deaths under investigation.
He further noted that Uganda has also reported fresh infections, including two additional confirmed cases among healthcare workers, taking the country's total confirmed cases to seven, including one death.
Tedros added that the WHO and partner agencies are intensifying response measures, with global health teams scaling up contact tracing and surveillance efforts to identify infected individuals early and break chains of transmission.
(With inputs from IANS)
