Health authorities in Telangana and Rajasthan have isolated three foreign nationals showing symptoms associated with Ebola virus disease, even as officials stressed that none of the cases has been confirmed and laboratory test results are awaited.
In Hyderabad, a second Sudanese national was admitted to the state-run Gandhi Hospital after developing a fever, taking the total number of Ebola-related admissions at the facility to two.
The student, in his 20s, was referred to Gandhi Hospital from a private health facility on Thursday evening. Officials said his condition improved and he had no fever on Friday morning. His attendant has been advised to remain in home isolation.
Earlier, a 35-year-old Sudanese national who arrived at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on Thursday was shifted to Gandhi Hospital's isolation ward after he was found to have a fever during thermal screening. The man had travelled to Hyderabad for knee surgery.
Officials said the 35-year-old was asymptomatic and had no fever as of Friday morning. Test reports of both Sudanese nationals are awaited.
Telangana ramps up preparedness
The Telangana government has set up a special 10-bed isolation ward at Gandhi Hospital for Ebola cases.
Last month, Hyderabad Airport issued an advisory saying it was implementing enhanced public health preparedness measures in line with directives from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) regarding the ongoing Ebola Virus Disease outbreak reported in certain countries.
The advisory applies to passengers arriving from or transiting through affected regions, including Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighbouring high-risk areas. Such passengers may be required to complete a Self-Declaration Form (SDF) before deboarding.
Ugandan tourist quarantined in Jaipur
In a separate case, a 19-year-old woman from Uganda was admitted to the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) Hospital in Jaipur after displaying symptoms resembling Ebola infection.
Officials said the woman arrived in Jaipur from Sharjah on an Air Arabia flight earlier on Friday and was identified as a suspected case during airport screening by a state health department team.
She has been admitted to the hospital and isolated in a critical care block.
RUHS Principal Dr Mohnish Grover said a sample from the patient has been sent to Pune for testing, while a second sample will be sent after 48 hours.
The patient will remain in quarantine until the test results are available, he said.
"If the test returns positive, she will be kept under quarantine for 21 days and treated accordingly," he said.
RUHS Hospital Superintendent Dr Anil Gupta said the woman has not been diagnosed with Ebola so far.
"Ebola cannot be confirmed based on symptoms alone," he said.
According to officials, the woman has experienced abdominal pain and loss of appetite for about a month and is currently complaining of a headache.
Health authorities have advised passengers who travelled with her on the same flight to remain in home isolation as a precautionary measure.
What is Ebola?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease that affects humans and other primates.
The virus is transmitted to humans from infected wild animals, including fruit bats, porcupines and non-human primates. It can then spread through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected individuals, as well as through contaminated surfaces and materials such as bedding and clothing.