21-Day Monitoring for Arrivals From Ebola-Hit Nations as Telangana Steps Up Vigilance

The Telangana government has heightened its surveillance measures amid growing concerns over the spread of the Ebola virus in parts of Africa, with authorities intensifying monitoring of passengers arriving from affected countries.

Reviewing the state's preparedness on Monday, Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha chaired a high-level meeting at the Secretariat to assess preventive measures, disease surveillance systems and coordination among various government departments. The review focused on ensuring that Telangana remains equipped to respond swiftly to any potential public health threat linked to the virus.

Officials informed the minister that special monitoring is being carried out for travellers arriving from Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan , where Ebola cases have been reported. Screening and surveillance protocols at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Shamshabad , have been strengthened, with authorities closely tracking the health status of passengers arriving from the affected regions.

As part of the precautionary measures, health officials are collecting travel and contact details of incoming passengers and monitoring their health for 21 days , which corresponds to the virus's incubation period. Individuals showing symptoms associated with Ebola are being identified at the airport and shifted to a dedicated isolation facility at Gandhi Hospital for further evaluation.

During the meeting, officials said two suspected cases had recently been admitted to isolation and their samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune . Preliminary tests returned negative results for Ebola. However, in line with ICMR guidelines , fresh samples have been collected and forwarded for additional testing to conclusively rule out infection.

The minister also expressed concern over reports that some international passengers could not be traced at the addresses they had provided during airport screening. Stressing that accurate information is critical for effective disease surveillance, Damodar Rajanarasimha directed officials to ensure strict compliance with reporting requirements.

He warned that passengers arriving from Ebola-affected countries must provide correct addresses, phone numbers and other relevant details. Any attempt to furnish false information or evade monitoring would invite stringent legal action , including the registration of criminal cases , he said.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Health Department, GHMC , CCMB , the Union Health Ministry, airport health authorities and district-level public health teams, who reviewed the state's readiness and response mechanisms in the event of a suspected Ebola case.