India Advises Against Travel to Ebola-Hit African Nations

The advisory follows the World Health Organisation’s declaration on May 17 of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the International Health Regulations, 2005. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has also designated the outbreak in the DRC and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security.

According to the advisory issued on Saturday, the WHO’s IHR Emergency Committee on May 22 recommended strengthening surveillance at points of entry to “detect, assess, report and manage travellers with unexplained febrile illness arriving from areas with documented Bundibugyo virus detection” while discouraging travel to affected regions.

It said countries bordering the DRC and Uganda, including South Sudan, were at high risk of transmission. “The Government of India advises all its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan,” the advisory said.

Indian citizens in these countries have been asked to follow local public health guidance, maintain hygiene precautions, avoid contact with symptomatic persons and seek immediate medical attention in case of fever or related symptoms.

Ebola is a viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Bundibugyo strain and is associated with a high mortality rate. The advisory said no vaccines or specific treatments have been approved for this strain.

It added that no case linked to the Bundibugyo strain has been reported in India so far and the government is monitoring the situation in line with WHO recommendations.