WHO declares disease global health emergency
Mansoor Peer
Srinagar, May 22: The Government of India (GoI) has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to strengthen preparedness and response mechanisms against Ebola disease following the recent outbreak in parts of Africa and the World Health Organization’s declaration of the situation as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), with all airports and seaports directed to intensify surveillance of passengers arriving from Ebola-affected countries.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in its SOP issued on May 20, stated that the outbreak was first reported on May 5, 2026, after the WHO received alerts regarding an unknown illness with high mortality among people, including healthcare workers, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The outbreak was later confirmed as Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a form of Ebola virus disease, on May 15. WHO subsequently declared the outbreak in DRC and Uganda a global public health emergency on May 17.
Under the guidelines, all airports and seaports across the country have been directed to intensify surveillance of passengers arriving from Ebola-affected countries, including DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan. The government has made it mandatory for travellers to disclose their travel history of the previous 21 days.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has been asked to operationalise the Air Suvidha portal for Ebola screening, enabling passengers to upload travel and health details during ticket booking or web check-in. Till the portal becomes fully operational, international travellers from affected regions will be required to fill Self Declaration Forms physically during boarding or immigration.
The SOP defines a suspect Ebola case as a person with fever accompanied by symptoms such as bleeding gums, nosebleeds, bloody stools, vomiting blood or other haemorrhagic manifestations, along with travel history to affected countries within the last 21 days. A probable case is someone who had contact with a confirmed Ebola patient during the same period, while confirmation will be based on laboratory testing through ICMR-designated laboratories.
Detailed protocols have been issued for airlines in case a passenger develops symptoms during travel. Cabin crew members have been instructed to immediately isolate the passenger at the rear end of the aircraft and maintain vacant rows around the individual as far as possible. A dedicated washroom must be assigned to the passenger, and all nearby travellers seated within three rows are to be monitored for symptoms for 21 days after arrival.
Airlines have also been directed to maintain an adequate stock of PPE kits, triple-layer masks, gloves, sanitisers, and disposal bags onboard flights.
At airports, thermal screening will be conducted for passengers arriving from affected nations. Separate bays for aircraft carrying suspected Ebola cases, dedicated examination areas, and separate transport corridors for ambulances have also been mandated.
State governments have been directed to identify quarantine centres, isolation hospitals, and dedicated ambulances with PPE-equipped staff. Rapid Response Teams at the state and district levels are to be trained in contact tracing, infection prevention, and emergency management. The SOP stresses that “early case identification, secure transport, rapid diagnosis, strict isolation and effective treatment” are crucial for controlling transmission.
For hospitals treating Ebola patients, the ministry has recommended isolation in single negative-pressure rooms with dedicated toilets wherever available. Healthcare workers have been directed to wear impermeable coveralls, double gloves, N95 respirators, face shields, and protective boots.
The SOP outlines aggressive supportive treatment measures, including fluid resuscitation, electrolyte replacement, respiratory support, antibiotics, and monitoring of vital signs. However, it notes that there is currently no licensed vaccine or monoclonal antibody treatment available for the Bundibugyo strain linked to the present outbreak.
Laboratory diagnosis will primarily be carried out at ICMR-NIV Pune using real-time RT-PCR and serological tests. Blood, urine, stool, swab, and cerebrospinal fluid samples will be collected under strict biosafety measures.
According to an information bulletin issued by doctors from the Infectious Diseases Division at SKIMS, this is only the third major Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak reported globally, with mortality rates in previous outbreaks ranging between 30 and 50 per cent. The doctors explained that the disease initially resembles common infections such as malaria, dengue, influenza, or severe gastroenteritis, making early detection difficult.
Symptoms in the early stage include high fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, while severe cases may progress to vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, shock, kidney injury, liver damage, and multi-organ failure.
The ministry has cautioned against panic and misinformation, directing that all communication with the media should only be carried out through authorised spokespersons while maintaining the confidentiality of passengers and patients.
