HYDERABAD: Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha on Monday directed officials to register cases against travellers from Ebola-affected countries who furnish false information, after officials found that some returnees were not staying at the addresses they had provided.
During a review meeting, the minister proposed seeking assistance from the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) to deploy people proficient in French, Arabic, Swahili and other relevant languages at Shamshabad airport round the clock to facilitate communication with travellers from Ebola-affected countries.
Stating that all necessary arrangements were in place to prevent Ebola in the state, Rajanarsimha said there was no need for the public to worry. He said the government was closely monitoring the situation and following guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), while urging people not to believe rumours.
Reviewing preparedness measures in view of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, the minister was informed that screening and surveillance at Shamshabad Airport had been strengthened and that travellers arriving from affected countries were being monitored for 21 days.
Officials said suspected cases were immediately isolated at Gandhi Hospital. So far, two suspected cases have tested negative. Fresh samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for re-testing as per ICMR guidelines, and the individuals will be discharged if the results are again negative.
Rajanarsimha directed officials to ensure there was no negligence in sample collection and testing and sought support from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB). CCMB director Vinay Nandikoori informed him that Ebola testing kits had been received from ICMR and testing had already begun.