Visakhapatnam: Following alerts from the Union Health ministry, medical and airport authorities in Visakhapatnam have jointly stepped up surveillance and screening mechanisms to guard against potential cases of Ebola virus that has hit certain African countries.
District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr P. Jagadeeswara Rao told Deccan Chronicle that monitoring has been strengthened at the Visakhapatnam International Airport, the city’s seaport, and among international students at the Andhra and Gitam universities. A 30-bed isolation ward has been readied at the Government Hospital for Chest and Communicable Diseases to ensure isolation of suspected cases.
Dr Jagadeeswara Rao explained that arrangements have been made at the airport in association with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to screen passengers immediately after disembarkation from international flights. The district administration has sought information regarding students from Ebola-affected countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. Officials note that many international students had gone to their home countries for summer vacation, reducing the immediate risk but not eliminating the need for vigilance.
Explaining the symptoms associated with Ebola virus disease, the DMHO said the illness generally begins with an acute onset of fever, sore throat, chills, severe body pain, and headaches. He noted that the condition can worsen rapidly if not identified and treated early, making screening and surveillance at transit points crucial for containment of the disease and timely medical care.
Health screening protocols have been intensified at the Visakhapatnam International Airport in line with the standard operating procedures issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The first to be screened had been the 184 passengers of the Scoot Flight TR784 from Singapore, which landed on Wednesday night. Officials underlined that all passengers had been put through the health checks, with coordination between multiple agencies, including the Airports Authority of India, Central Industrial Security Force, Airport Health Organisation, Immigration and Customs, and airline representatives. International passengers are now required to submit self-declaration forms detailing their recent travel history.
Authorities clarified that the measures are precautionary and in alignment with the Union Health ministry’s guidelines for arrivals from regions reporting Ebola outbreaks. Dr Jagadeeswara Rao disclosed that to date no suspected Ebola cases have been identified in Vizag.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
