19-year-old Ugandan tourist quarantined in Jaipur hospital: Officials

A19-year-old Ugandan holidaymaker who arrived in Jaipur from Sharjah on fri has been stranded at Rajasthan University of wellness Sciences (RUHS) infirmary after exhibiting symptoms resembling those associated with the Ebola Virus Disease.Authorities said the infection has not been confirmed and samples have been sent to a specialised laboratory in Pune for testing, while precautionary measures and contact tracing have been initiated.No confirmed Ebola case has been reported in India so far.The woman had arrived on an Air Arabia flight, following which she was placed in a special isolation ward at the hospital, where she is being closely monitored by medical teams. Health officials have stressed that Ebola infection has not yet been confirmed and that laboratory testing is underway to determine the exact cause of her illness.Authorities said a final diagnosis will be made only after the test results are received.RUHS Hospital superintendent Dr. Anil Gupta said, “Some of the symptoms shown by the patient resemble those associated with Ebola virus disease. As a precautionary measure, she has been kept in isolation and all necessary medical protocols are being strictly followed.”Health department officials have initiated enhanced surveillance measures and are gathering details of individuals who may have come into contact with the woman. If required, such contacts will be monitored and tested in accordance with established public health guidelines, an official said.Following the suspected case, all government and private hospitals across the state have been directed to remain vigilant and follow infection-control protocols.Public health director Ravi Prakash Sharma said the department is in constant coordination with medical teams stationed at Jaipur International Airport. “Passengers returning from African nations are being kept under special surveillance. In case any traveller exhibits suspicious symptoms, immediate isolation and treatment arrangements have been ordered,” Sharma said.To strengthen preparedness for any potential Ebola-related emergency, the health department has designated RUHS Hospital in Jaipur as the state’s dedicated facility for handling suspected cases of the disease.The hospital has established specialised isolation wards and deployed trained medical personnel. Stocks of essential medicines, personal protective equipment (PPE) and other infection-control resources have also been arranged. District hospitals across Rajasthan have similarly been instructed to remain prepared for the identification, isolation and preliminary management of suspected cases.Ebola disease is a viral haemorrhagic fever caused by infection with the Bundibugyo virus strain of the Ebola virus. It is a serious disease with a high mortality rate. At present, no vaccines or specific treatments have been approved to prevent or treat Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain.The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in May advised Indian citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Ebola disease-affected countries — the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan — after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).India has not reported any case of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, according to the health ministry.