Jonas Kimbale a motorcycle taxi operator reads an advocacy poster as aid agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain, outbreak in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere
Against the backdrop of the Ebola virus initially reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and now spreading to countries in the region, India’s Directorate General of Health Services has put out an advisory for passengers travelling from the region.Passengers travelling from, or through high-risk regions including DRC, Uganda and South Sudan with symptoms — including fever, headache and unexpected bleeding, among others; or who have had contact with a body or bodily fluids of people suspected of having Ebola — are required to contact the airport health officer or health desk before immigration clearance, the DGHS, under the Union Health Ministry, said.Travellers presenting with symptoms within 21 days of travel also need to alert health authorities, the advisory said. The passenger advisory was shared by Delhi Airport, and it is expected that similar screening will come up at other ports as well.The World Health Organization had last Sunday declared Ebola a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) — its highest level of alarm, signalling international coordination.
