'No definitive treatment': Ex-AIIMS director on Ebola scare as India steps up screening

Former AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria on Monday said there is "no definitive treatment" for Ebola, which contributes to its high mortality rate, but stressed that people should not panic as most outbreaks have happened only in central and western Africa.

Speaking on the Ebola virus outbreak, Dr Guleria, chairman of Internal Medicine, Respiratory & Sleep Medicine at Medanta Gurugram, said the disease carries a high mortality rate because there is no definitive treatment, though many patients do recover.

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"If we follow infection control practices and do not come in contact with an infected person, then there is no chance of infection. That is why most outbreaks have happened only in central and western Africa. The Ebola virus's incubation period is 2-21 days. The initial symptoms are fever, body pain, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhoea. Advanced symptoms could be bleeding from the mouth or stool, or difficulty in breathing," he said.

"There is no definitive treatment, which is why the mortality rate is high - up to 50 per cent mortality can happen. But people get cured, too. There is no need to panic. Non-essential travel to infected places needs to be avoided; screening of passengers from those areas needs to be done," he added.

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The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued a health advisory for passengers arriving from or transiting through Ebola-affected countries.

The advisory directs travellers with symptoms or a history of exposure to immediately report to airport health authorities before immigration clearance.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan have been identified as high-risk countries by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the advisory has been displayed at Delhi airport by the Airport Health Organisation (APHO).

Authorities have asked passengers to watch for symptoms including fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, sore throat and unexplained bleeding. Travellers who have had direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a suspected or confirmed Ebola patient have also been instructed to report immediately to airport health officials.

According to APHO, anyone developing symptoms within 21 days of arrival should seek immediate medical care and disclose their travel history.

The Centre has also reviewed preparedness measures across the country. On Wednesday, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava chaired a high-level meeting with health secretaries from states and Union territories to assess readiness and response mechanisms.

Health ministry officials have clarified that India has not detected any Ebola case so far. However, after the WHO declared Ebola a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), authorities have strengthened surveillance and preparedness measures as a precautionary step.

The Centre has already shared detailed standard operating procedures with states and Union territories covering pre-arrival and post-arrival screening, quarantine protocols, case management, referral systems and laboratory testing.