NEW DELHI: India has screened 10,974 international travellers arriving from Ebola-affected countries since May 23 after the World Health Organization declared the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), with no case detected in the country so far, the Centre informed Parliament on Friday.The government said surveillance and preparedness were intensified across the country following the WHO declaration, with enhanced screening at airports and other points of entry, mandatory travel declarations, designated isolation facilities, expanded laboratory capacity and nationwide mock drills to prepare for any suspected case.According to the ministry of health and family welfare, all international passengers are screened for recent travel to Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan—countries affected by the Ebola outbreak. The government has not imposed a blanket travel ban, but passengers with travel history to these countries during the previous 21 days are identified through Self Declaration Forms, including the Air Suvidha 2.0 portal.Mumbai accounted for the highest number of screened passengers at 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).Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said the Centre had coordinated its response with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Civil Aviation and other agencies to strengthen surveillance and preparedness.
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The preparedness measures include issuing standard operating procedures covering surveillance, quarantine, laboratory testing, infection prevention and clinical management; identifying and operationalising isolation facilities across states and Union Territories; expanding diagnostic capacity through ICMR-NIV Pune and additional Biosafety Level-3 laboratories; deploying additional doctors and paramedical staff at major international airports; and conducting mock drills in designated hospitals nationwide.The government has also strengthened public awareness through airport displays, in-flight announcements, social media campaigns and a 24×7 national helpline while activating the NCDC Public Health Emergency Operations Centre to coordinate the response.The health ministry said no Ebola case has been reported in India so far.
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