India Screens 10,974 Travellers for Ebola, No Cases Detected
UPSC / SSC current affairs note
Why in news
India has screened 10,974 international travellers from Ebola-affected countries since May 23, following the WHO's declaration of a PHEIC. The Union Health Minister informed Parliament on Friday, highlighting the country's preparedness and surveillance measures. No Ebola cases have been detected in India so far.
Background
The World Health Organization declared the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in 2026. In response, India intensified screening and preparedness across all entry points.
Key facts
India has screened 10,974 international travellers from Ebola-affected countries since May 23.
No Ebola case has been detected in India so far.
Screening is conducted for passengers with recent travel to Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan.
Passengers with travel history to these countries in the previous 21 days are identified via Self Declaration Forms, including the Air Suvidha 2.0 portal.
Mumbai screened the highest number of passengers (7,568), followed by Delhi (1,833), Hyderabad (532), Chennai (210), Bengaluru (205), and Ahmedabad (200).
At the state level, Gujarat recorded the highest number of screened passengers (2,905), followed by Maharashtra (2,228), Uttar Pradesh (785), Tamil Nadu (731), Telangana (624), and Kerala (554).
Preparedness measures include SOPs for surveillance, quarantine, lab testing, infection prevention, and clinical management.
Isolation facilities have been operationalized across states and UTs, and diagnostic capacity expanded through ICMR-NIV Pune and additional BSL-3 labs.
Mock drills have been conducted in designated hospitals nationwide.
Prelims pointers
- WHO declared Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak a PHEIC.
- Affected countries: Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, South Sudan.
- Air Suvidha 2.0 portal used for self-declaration.
- ICMR-NIV Pune involved in diagnostic capacity expansion.
- National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) coordinates response.
- Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) laboratories.
- Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) definition.
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
Mains angles
- Discuss India's preparedness and response to global health emergencies like Ebola.
- Critically examine the role of international health regulations in managing cross-border disease spread.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of screening and surveillance measures at points of entry.