A woman has been placed in quarantine in the Indian city of Bengaluru after she arrived from Uganda with a suspected case of Ebola. The 28-year-old woman experienced body ache following her arrival in Bengaluru, having first transited through Ahmedabad in western India.
Initial testing at the National Institute of Virology came back negative for Ebola, but health officials have decided to keep the woman in isolation until she tests negative a second time after 48 hours. This precautionary measure is in line with standard protocols for such cases.
The recent health alert followed a statement by India’s health minister, Jagat Prakash Nadda, who confirmed that no Ebola cases had been reported in the current Bundibugyo outbreak. This outbreak has primarily affected Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
It has been 12 years since India last reported an Ebola case during the 2014 outbreak. In response to the current situation, authorities are intensifying surveillance and screening measures in coordination with the Karnataka state government, following WHO guidelines. Officials have also urged the public not to panic or spread misinformation.
Anul Kumar Banagar, the medical superintendent of the state-run Epidemic Diseases Hospital, explained that the woman showed no symptoms during airport screening upon her arrival in India. However, due to her recent travel to an Ebola-affected country, authorities continued monitoring her condition.
“She developed a mild body ache nearly 24 hours after arriving in India,” Dr. Banagar said, as reported by The Hindu. “Samples were collected and sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.”
He added that even if the initial test result is negative, a repeat test will be conducted after 48 hours of observation. The woman will only be discharged after testing negative twice.
According to the WHO website, the average fatality rate for Ebola is around 50%, though it has varied between 25% and 90% in past outbreaks. Earlier this month, the WHO declared the disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the DRC and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). Neighbouring countries such as Rwanda and South Sudan are on high alert, while many nations have introduced additional checks for travelers coming from the affected regions in Africa.
Last week, it was reported that an American doctor tested positive for Ebola in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in the DRC. Meanwhile, Mexico is stepping up its Ebola screening measures ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Health Secretary David Kershenovich stated that the country is coordinating with the United States and Canada to implement enhanced health surveillance. He also urged the public to avoid traveling to the DRC and announced that those arriving from the country will be required to undergo a 21-day quarantine.
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