Written By: Shraddha Rupavate | Published : October 16, 2014 11:11 AM IST
Although India remains at a low risk of Ebola transmission, as per experts, health authorities here have tightened screening at airports and ports over the past two months.
At the airports, the authorities have screened about 21,799 people coming from Ebola-hit nations in the last two months. Till now, nobody has been tested positive for Ebola in India. There have been 1,200 passengers suspected with the disease so far and about 485 of them have been quarantined at Delhi. At Kolkata airport, around 150 travellers have been screened at the airport.
Travellers coming from Ebola-hit nations are handled at special counters, from where they are directed to the health centre at the airport. At the centre, the passengers are thoroughly screened and a detailed check-up in carried out.
The screening measures involve conducting detailed medical examinations of those who are identified at a high-risk. The passengers are checked for their travel history. Their body temperature is monitored and those showing symptoms similar to Ebola (fever, sore throat, nausea, headache etc) are being quarantined. According to authorities, most passengers belong to the states of Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, West Bengal and Delhi. Authorities have also deployed teams at the Attari border and airport to screen passengers coming.
The government has also identified one hospital with a dedicated isolation facility in each state to admit people with Ebola-like symptoms. These hospitals are equipped to handle sample collection, diagnosis and treatment of Ebola cases.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan ensured that the ministry is providing all the needed material and technical support to all states. Highlighting that India has effective surveillance programme running, the minister said 'Support for preparing health facilities with dedicated isolation wards, enabling them to provide diagnosis, treatment and care, and infection control under proper guidelines is being provided,' he said.
Image Source: Getty Images
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