New Delhi, June 25 (IANS). The Ebola virus outbreak is limited to central and eastern Africa. However, France has also come on alert mode. India became alert regarding travelers coming from Ebola affected countries. The Air Suvidha portal is active for passengers arriving from or transiting through Ebola affected countries.
Passengers can easily submit the required Self-Declaration Form (SDF) online before deboarding. Earlier, paper-based process was being followed.
According to sources, this arrangement has been in place since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Ebola a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Under this, measures have also been taken to strengthen health surveillance at entry points (airports, ports etc.) as well as to ease the movement of passengers.
France has identified and isolated five people who may be infected with the Ebola virus. These people were traveling in the flight with a doctor, whose virus test came positive.
French Health Minister Stephanie Rist said on Wednesday (local time) that the doctor had worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo before returning to France.
According to the minister, the patient is an experienced doctor who had returned from a mission, who was unaware that he had contracted the virus. When he boarded the plane, he had no symptoms. He’s a doctor and he got a headache on the plane, so he put out an alert so he could be taken care of when he reached Paris.
As soon as his flight landed, he was kept in isolation in the hospital. The minister further said that they will remain there for 21 days, which is the incubation period.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control estimates that the risk of infection for people living in Europe is very low.
Meanwhile, there have been 1,118 confirmed cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including 291 deaths. The DRC government said in an update on the latest situation following the spread of the disease.
–IANS
KK/PM