No Ebola cases in India, says Karnataka Health Dept; issues travel advisory

Bengaluru: In response to an Ebola outbreak in several African countries, the Karnataka Health Department on Friday advised individuals who have recently travelled to affected nations to undergo health monitoring and self-observation for 21 days after their return.

Clarifying that no Ebola cases have been reported in India at present, it said that, however, considering the volume of international travel and trade, the Health Department has undertaken precautionary preparedness measures.

The WHO declared the ongoing outbreak of Ebola disease (ED) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda as a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC) on May 17, 2026.

“The public is requested not to panic unnecessarily and to rely only on official information. Persons who have recently travelled to Ebola-affected countries should undergo health monitoring and self-observation for 21 days after returning to India,” the department said in a release.

Those with symptoms should immediately report to the nearest health facility, it said. Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) will undertake surveillance activities.

The State Health Department is continuously monitoring the situation and has taken all necessary precautionary and preparedness measures, it added.

According to the department, Ebola is a severe viral disease that may cause symptoms such as fever, weakness, muscle pain, sore throat, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, rash, and red eyes.

The disease spreads through direct contact with the blood, organs, or body fluids of infected persons, or through contaminated materials such as bedding, clothes, and syringes.

It added that healthcare workers and family members or close contacts of infected individuals are at higher risk.

Highlighting that preparedness measures have been strengthened in the state, the department said they include enhanced surveillance and monitoring of suspected cases under the IDSP, coordination with airports and Points of Entry (PoEs), and dedicated quarantine and isolation facilities, along with referral ambulance services.

Other measures include training healthcare personnel, strengthening infection prevention and control measures, ensuring the availability of PPE, medicines, and laboratory facilities, and placing Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) on alert.

In Bengaluru, the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) has been identified as the isolation centre, and the Epidemic Diseases Hospital, Bengaluru, has been designated as the quarantine and treatment centre.

In Mangaluru, Srinivas Port Hospital, NMPA, has been identified as the quarantine centre, and Wenlock District Hospital, Mangaluru, has been designated as the isolation and treatment centre.

Dedicated ambulance services have also been kept ready for transporting suspected patients to designated hospitals.

Samples from suspected Ebola cases will be collected and sent via NIV Bengaluru for confirmatory testing at NIV Pune.