No Ebola in Karnataka: Ugandan woman tests negative, confirms health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao

'All required medical protocols and precautionary measures were strictly followed in accordance with established public health guidelines,' state health minister said.

A brief Ebola scare in Bengaluru, triggered by a suspected case, was put to rest on Wednesday after Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao confirmed that the 28-year-old woman from Uganda has tested negative.

According to officials, the woman—who had arrived from an Ebola-affected region—was moved from a hotel to the state-run Epidemic Diseases Hospital here on Tuesday after she developed mild symptoms such as body aches.

Her blood samples were collected and sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for testing.

"The suspected Ebola case reported in the state has tested negative following laboratory examination. Health authorities have confirmed that the individual is not infected with the Ebola virus," the state health minister said in a post on X.

"All required medical protocols and precautionary measures were strictly followed in accordance with established public health guidelines," he added.

Rao said the Karnataka Health Department continues to closely monitor the situation and remains fully prepared to take all necessary measures in the interest of public health and safety.

"Citizens are advised not to panic, to follow prescribed health guidelines, and to rely only on official information and advisories issued by the government and health department," he added.

The World Health Organisation declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17.

In response to Ebola outbreaks in several African countries, the Karnataka Health Department had advised individuals who had recently travelled to affected nations to undergo health monitoring and self-observation for 21 days after returning.

The department said those developing symptoms should immediately report to the nearest health facility, while Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) would carry out surveillance activities.

According to the WHO website, Ebola is a severe, often fatal illness affecting humans and other primates.

The virus is transmitted to humans from wild animals (such as fruit bats, porcupines, and non-human primates) and then spreads within the human population through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected people, as well as with surfaces and materials (example: bedding and clothing) contaminated with these fluids, it said.

(With PTI inputs)