Jaipur

Health authorities in Rajasthan have intensified surveillance after a woman from Uganda was admitted to a Jaipur hospital with symptoms resembling Ebola virus disease, raising concerns of a possible imported infection.

The traveller, who arrived in Jaipur from Sharjah on Friday morning, was identified during routine health screening at the airport after exhibiting symptoms associated with the disease. She was immediately shifted to the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) Hospital and placed under strict isolation as a precautionary measure.

Medical officials have collected samples from the patient and sent them to a specialised laboratory in Pune for confirmation. Authorities expect the test results within the next 24 hours.

RUHS Superintendent Dr. Anil Gupta clarified that Ebola infection has not yet been confirmed and that any conclusions would depend on laboratory findings.

The suspected case has prompted the Rajasthan Health Department to remain on alert, particularly in view of the recent Ebola outbreaks reported in parts of Africa.

The development follows a similar incident earlier this week when a Sudanese national arriving at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport was isolated after developing fever during screening. Samples from that individual have been sent for testing at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB).

Amid the evolving situation, the Government of India has advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel to regions affected by the outbreak, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.

The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a severe viral haemorrhagic fever known for its high fatality rate. At present, no approved vaccine or specific treatment exists for this strain.

In May, the World Health Organization classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), while the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared it a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security.

Global health agencies have urged countries to strengthen surveillance at international entry points, identify travellers with unexplained fever from affected regions and discourage travel to outbreak zones.

India has so far reported no confirmed case of Ebola linked to the Bundibugyo strain.

Meanwhile, India has stepped up humanitarian assistance to African nations battling the outbreak. Earlier this week, an Indian Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transported emergency medical supplies to Uganda as part of India’s support to Africa CDC’s response efforts.

The assistance includes protective equipment, diagnostic kits, monitoring devices, medicines and infection-control supplies aimed at strengthening regional preparedness and containment measures.

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Indian authorities have reiterated that they remain in close coordination with African health agencies and are prepared to extend additional support should the outbreak worsen.