Health Ministry activates Ebola precaution measures: Issues advisory, shares helpline details

The Union Ministry of Health issued an advisory for Indians on Tuesday amid rising Ebola cases in some African countries.

In the advisory, the ministry has clarified that no Ebola disease case has been reported in the country.

It has, however, advised those who have come to India from a country where there are reported cases in the last 21 days and have been experiencing certain symptoms to isolate themselves and inform local health authorities.

"However, if you have travelled from or transited through an Ebola-affected country in the last 21 days and develop symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, or unexplained bleeding, etc., isolate yourself and inform local health authorities," the ministry said.

"Call MoHFW's 24x7 Health Helpline: 1075 for information, guidance and assistance," it also said.

In the meanwhile, India has dispatched the second tranche of 43 tonnes of medical assistance consignment to Africa's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention to bolster response capacities across Africa in the wake of the Ebola outbreak.

Sharing the details in a post on X, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the assistance comprises of protective gear, diagnostic and monitoring equipment, medicines, and supplements.

"Confident that this 43 tons consignment will further strengthen public health preparedness and bolster Ebola response capacities across @_AfricanUnion", he added.

Earlier on Monday, the African for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) welcomed the emergency diagnostics, therapeutics and medical supplies provided by the Indian government to support the ongoing Ebola response efforts in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Africa CDC said in a post on X, "The supplies were delivered through Africa CDC's Eastern Regional Coordinating Centre in Uganda and mobilised to support response efforts in eastern DRC."

The continental public health agency also noted that India's assistance would strengthen ongoing efforts to contain the outbreak and support affected communities. It expressed appreciation for India's support, saying, "We thank the Government and people of India for their solidarity with Africa."

Earlier, on 29 May, India confirmed that the first tranche of its emergency medical supplies to Africa in order to assist the worsening Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was dispatched.

What to know about the Bundibugyo virus

The Bundibugyo virus, which has caused on outbreak in Congo, killing more than 200 people, is uncommon among viruses that cause Ebola disease, and is thus complicating response. There is no specific treatment or vaccines to combat this virus yet.

“There’s nothing even close to ready for clinical trials," said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist who treated patients in West Africa during the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic, as per the Associated Press. “And so that means responders, healthcare workers and other aid workers are really back to the basics," the agency quoted her as saying.

Last week, the World Health Organization said that its advisory groups had identified some potential vaccines and therapies to test, but recommended they be used exclusively in clinical trials to ensure they are safe and effective. Each would require months of development.

The Bundibugyo virus has caused two other outbreaks, all in the same region of the Congo River basin.

Other virsuses that can cause this disease are the Ebola virus (sometimes called the Zaire virus), the Sudan virus, and the Taï Forest virus.

The virus spreads through close contact with the bodily fluids (blood, sweat, feces, vomit) of sick or deceased patients. This puts considerable risk on healthcare workers and the family members who are caring for the sick patients.

With agency inputs