Ebola outbreak: Centre reviews preparedness as death toll crosses 100 in DR Congo, Uganda

NEW DELHI: Union health secretary Punya Salila Srivastava on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting with health secretaries of all states and Union territories to review preparedness and response measures against Ebola virus disease, following the World Health Organisation’s declaration of the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The review comes as Ebola cases in Uganda and DR Congo has crossed the death toll of 100 people.

The meeting focused on strengthening surveillance, screening, quarantine protocols and hospital readiness, even as the Centre confirmed that no Ebola case has been detected in the country so far.

The Union health ministry said the country has stepped up precautionary measures in view of the Ebola outbreak reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, news agency ANI reported.

Also read: Ebola outbreak in DR Congo kills 139: Is a vaccine on the way?
During the review meeting, states and UTs were asked to ensure preparedness at every level of the healthcare system. The Centre has already circulated detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) covering pre-arrival and post-arrival screening, quarantine procedures, laboratory testing, case management and referral mechanisms.

The Union health secretary stressed the need for coordinated surveillance, timely reporting and readiness of designated healthcare facilities to deal with any potential threat. Ministries and departments concerned have also been sensitised and are working in coordination with the health ministry on preventive and surveillance measures.

The ministry underlined that India has prior experience in handling Ebola-related preparedness, pointing to the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Africa when similar precautionary measures were implemented successfully.

The Centre also urged citizens not to panic and advised them to continue following official health advisories and updates.

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The WHO has reported that a total of 528 suspected Ebola cases, including 132 deaths, had been recorded in the DRC and Uganda as of May 18.

The outbreak in the two African countries has been linked to the Bundibugyo virus strain. According to WHO data, 668 contacts have been identified so far, including 541 in the DRC and 127 in Uganda.

The global health body said monitoring of contacts has remained difficult in certain parts of the DRC due to insecurity and movement restrictions.

WHO, in a statement, has stated that of the 12 suspected cases reported from Uganda, two were confirmed through laboratory testing, while the rest tested negative.