Traveller from Uganda isolated in Bengaluru after showing suspected Ebola symptoms

A28-year-old adult female from republic of uganda has been marooned at a regime infirmary in Bengaluru after developing mild body ache days after arriving in India, setting off precautionary Ebola surveillance measures as health authorities await laboratory test results.The woman, who landed at Kempegowda International Airport on May 23 after travelling from Uganda through Ahmedabad, was moved to the State run Epidemic Diseases Hospital in Indiranagar after officials tracking passengers from Ebola affected regions detected signs of fatigue and later recorded mild symptoms.The Union ministry of health and family welfare said on Wednesday that no Ebola Virus Disease case had been confirmed in India and that the traveller remained stable.“The Government of India is closely monitoring the evolving Ebola Virus Disease situation in view of recent outbreaks reported in parts of Africa,” the ministry said in a statement.Officials said samples collected from the woman had been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for testing. Results are expected within the next two days.Bengaluru District Surgeon and Medical Superintendent of the Epidemic Diseases Hospital, Anil Kumar, said the woman had not shown symptoms during airport screening but continued to remain under watch because of her travel history.Also Read: Remain fully vigilant, says JP Nadda at meeting to review Ebola preparedness“She developed a mild body ache after which samples were collected and sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune,” said the official.He said the woman had not developed any additional symptoms and remained under observation, adding that the protocol requires a repeat test after 48 hours of observation.According to health department officials, the woman had initially checked into a hotel after arriving in Bengaluru before she was shifted to the hospital as a precautionary measure.Ritvik Ranjanam Pandey, principal secretary of Karnataka’s health department, said officials were still assessing the nature of her symptoms.“At this stage, there is no clarity on whether the symptoms are linked to Ebola. Since she appeared fatigued during screening, airport health officials decided to send her samples for examination,” he said.The Centre said surveillance and screening operations were continuing at designated entry points and across the public health system in coordination with the Karnataka government and other agencies, following World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.Amid the alert, Karnataka’s health department has identified dedicated quarantine, isolation and treatment facilities in Bengaluru and Mangaluru.In Bengaluru, the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases has been designated as the isolation centre, while the Epidemic Diseases Hospital will function as the quarantine and treatment facility. In Mangaluru, Srinivas Port Hospital under the New Mangalore Port Authority has been identified as the quarantine centre and Wenlock District Hospital as the isolation and treatment facility.The measures follow directions issued by the Union health ministry asking states and union territories to strengthen surveillance, hospital preparedness and rapid response systems.The WHO recently classified the Ebola outbreaks in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo as a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern”.