No fresh Ebola case in India since 2014: Govt

The World Health Organization on Sunday declared the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

New Delhi: viz World Health Organization Declaring Ebola outbreaks in Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on Sunday, Indian health experts said there was no cause for panic as Ebola does not spread like Covid-19, though vigilance and early detection are crucial.Health ministry officials said no Ebola cases have been reported in India in 2014 except for one involving an international traveller. The National Centers for Disease Control is closely monitoring the situation.Dr Randeep Guleria, former director of AIIMS, said Ebola is spread through direct contact with infected body fluids, blood, vomit, secretions or contaminated material, unlike Covid-19 which spreads through regular droplet transmission.Experts say India has the laboratory capacity to rapidly detect Ebola through specialized RT-PCR tests at designated centers, although early clinical suspicion and rapid reporting are essential.