Ebola surveillance in India has been stepped up after 11 passengers arriving in Ahmedabad from African nations were placed under home isolation, though the Centre has clarified that no Ebola case has been detected in the country so far.

Health authorities said the precautionary measures come amid rising concern over the spread of the Ebola virus disease in parts of Africa, particularly Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Passengers Under Watch

Eleven people who recently arrived in Ahmedabad from Uganda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been asked to remain in home isolation as a preventive step, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation official Dr Bhavin Solanki said none of the travellers showed suspicious symptoms during initial health screening at the airport. However, considering the ongoing Ebola situation in parts of Africa, authorities decided to place them under observation.

The passengers are reportedly being monitored for symptoms while local health teams remain in touch with them.

Centre Rules Out Ebola Case

The Union government, meanwhile, said there is currently no confirmed Ebola case in India.

The clarification followed reports about a woman who had arrived from Uganda and later developed symptoms resembling those associated with the virus. Officials said she was isolated immediately after landing at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport on May 23.

According to health authorities, the woman complained of mild body pain and was admitted to a government hospital as a precautionary measure. Her Ebola test later returned negative, and officials said she is now healthy.

The Centre’s statement sought to calm concerns after social media discussions triggered speculation around a possible Ebola infection entering the country.

Outbreak In Africa

The current Ebola outbreak has raised alarm in several African countries, especially after the virus spread from the Democratic Republic of the Congo into neighbouring Uganda.

Uganda has reported at least eight Ebola cases so far, according to international health updates. In Congo’s eastern Ituri province, authorities have recorded 246 suspected cases and around 80 deaths linked to the outbreak.

Health officials there believe the first known patient in the current wave may have been a nurse who died in late April. Since then, cases have reportedly spread to areas including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongwalu.

WHO Monitoring Situation

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified the outbreak as a global health emergency, though it has not termed the situation a pandemic.

Public health experts are particularly concerned because the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. Previous major outbreaks in Congo were largely linked to the Zaire strain, for which most vaccines and treatments had been developed.

Experts say the shift in strain could complicate response measures and reduce the effectiveness of some existing medical interventions.

How Ebola Spreads

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a severe and often fatal illness that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood, vomit and saliva of infected individuals.

The disease first emerged in Africa in 1976, with outbreaks reported in Sudan and Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was named after the Ebola River near the region where the virus was first identified.

Globally, Ebola fatality rates have ranged between 25% and 90%, depending on the outbreak and healthcare response.

Heightened Airport Screening

Indian health authorities have increased surveillance measures at airports receiving passengers from affected regions. Officials said thermal screening, symptom monitoring and travel history checks are being carried out more carefully in recent days.

Sources familiar with the matter said state health departments have also been advised to remain alert and follow isolation protocols wherever necessary.

For now, officials insist there is no Ebola case in India, but surveillance efforts are likely to continue as the African outbreak evolves.