First Ebola case in India? Uganda returnee, Bengaluru woman under isolation after showing symptoms of Ebola, state on high alert
Has Ebola already entered India? In the latest developments, officials from Karnataka have revealed that a woman who has recently returned from Uganda has been kept in isolation after she started showing symptoms of the Ebola virus infection.
Is Ebola already here in India? In the latest development, Bengaluru health officials on Tuesday stated that a suspected Ebola case triggered a health alert after a 28-year-old woman from Uganda, who developed mild symptoms including body ache, was shifted from a hotel to the State-run Epidemic Diseases Hospital on Tuesday (May 26, 2026).
Speaking to the media about the patient and the symptoms she has developed, the Bengaluru District Surgeon and Medical Superintendent of the hospital where the woman is currently monitored, Anil Kumar Banagar, said -- "The woman has developed symptoms similar to Ebola virus infection. However, a test to confirm the virus is still awaited." He further added that the woman had recently travelled from Uganda to Ahmedabad and had later arrived in Bengaluru.
The officials also added that even though the woman has not developed any further signs linked to Ebola, the health body is keeping a close check on her.
Karnataka Ebola Alert: Has The Deadly Virus Entered Bengaluru?
This comes days after the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated the deadly virus as a global threat, with a fatality rate ranging up to 90%. The global health body has also shown concerns over the unavailability of the vaccine that can target the newly dominant strain in Congo and Uganda.
"The District Surveillance team and airport health officials were tracking her condition. She developed a mild body ache nearly 24 hours later, following which samples were collected and sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune," Dr. Banagar told the media. He said the woman was stable and had not developed any additional symptoms so far.
"The test reports are expected in a day or two. Even if the result is negative, as per protocol, a repeat test will be conducted after 48 hours of observation. She will be discharged only after testing negative twice," he said.
Amid the Ebola alert, Karnataka's Health Department has designated specialised isolation, quarantine and treatment facilities at government hospitals in Bengaluru and Mangaluru as part of precautionary preparedness measures.
In Bengaluru, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases has been identified as the isolation centre, while Epidemic Diseases Hospital has been designated as the quarantine and treatment facility.
Ebola Virus Outbreak 2026: What We Know So Far?
As of 26 May 2026, the outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus has affected the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, with increasing numbers of confirmed and suspected cases and deaths.
According to the Ministry of Health of DRC on 25 May, a total of 105 confirmed cases (including 10 deaths) and 906 suspected cases (including 223 deaths) have been reported in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces. Uganda has reported seven confirmed cases, including one death, several linked to travel from DRC.
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