The two passengers who reached Chennai on 9th August, 27 year old male who travelled from Guinea and a 40 year old male who travelled from Liberia are in good health and they are under observation. (Read in Hindi: नाइजीरिया से आए यात्री का इबोला टेस्‍ट नकारात्‍मक)

The high level of alertness at points of entry, coupled with the self-reporting by passengers, is leading to satisfactory results in the government’s surveillance on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. On August 8, World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared a public health emergency of international concern after an abnormal rise in the incidence of the dreaded infection this year. Within hours the Ministry unravelled its advanced surveillance and tracking system. A 24-hour helpline was also opened.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Health Minister, ordered another review meeting between officers of the Health, Home Affairs, External Affairs, Civil Aviation and National Disaster Management Authority, and representatives of World Health Organisation. The meeting was chaired by the Health Secretary, Lov Verma. This is the second inter-ministerial meeting in less than a week.

“There is no reason for getting worried over the odd case of a visitor to the country arriving in an indisposed condition. We have all the mechanisms in place for prompt treatment and subsequent monitoring,” Dr. Harsh Vardhan said.

The Minister also directed that all technical updates on EVD, with reference to sample collection, storage and transportation, tracing and contact management, case management and notification control in hospital settings be loaded on the website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

He reiterated, “There is no case of EVD in India.”