VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government has announced precautionary measures to guard against the possible spread of Ebola virus, following alerts from the World Health Organisation and the Centre.
Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav said, “The State is prepared to implement advance checks and emergency protocols, with special focus on passengers arriving from Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, where the outbreak has been severe.”
The Health Minister explained that medical screening will be intensified at Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Vijayawada international airports with district health authorities instructed to coordinate closely with airport officials.
Isolation wards being set up at hosps
Passengers with a travel history to affected countries will undergo diagnostic tests, and anyone showing symptoms will be immediately quarantined. Their close contacts will also be tested without delay. Similar vigilance will be extended to arrivals through Visakhapatnam Port and road routes.
Isolation wards with 15 beds each are being set up in teaching hospitals located in international airport cities. PPE and virus detection kits are already stocked to meet immediate requirements. The Health Department is also conducting virtual awareness sessions with ANMs and ASHA workers to ensure preparedness at the grassroots level.
He noted that the Centre is closely monitoring passenger details from Ebola-affected countries, and sharing information with States. Drawing lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, Andhra Pradesh is preparing a comprehensive action plan for emergency response, including protocols for quarantine, testing, and treatment.
Advisories have been issued urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. Those who have returned from these countries in the past three weeks and are feeling unwell have been asked to immediately inform district authorities so that timely medical intervention can be arranged.
Ebola symptoms may take weeks to appear, making containment difficult. Common signs include sudden fever, weakness, headache, throat pain, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, red eyes, and loss of appetite.