No Ebola Cases in AP, State Enhances Virus Preparedness

Following the World Health Organization's declaration of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, Andhra Pradesh's medical and health department has intensified its surveillance and preparedness measures. As of June 19, a cumulative 3,940 international passengers arriving at airports in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Tirupati have been screened. None of these passengers exhibited symptoms, had travel histories from affected countries, or contact histories requiring observation, and no suspected Ebola cases have been detected in the state.

To strengthen containment capabilities, the government has designated three isolation centers across the state. These include 10 beds at Tirupati Ruia Government Hospital, four beds at Vijayawada Government General Hospital, and 30 beds at the Government Hospital for Chest and Communicable Diseases in Visakhapatnam, totaling 44 beds. District rapid response teams have been activated, supplemented by a state-level team comprising specialists. Standard operating procedures and guidelines from the central government have been disseminated to all districts, with instructions for district health officials to coordinate with airport authorities for screening, deploy dedicated ambulances, and conduct public awareness campaigns.

Medical colleges have been directed to maintain sufficient stocks of viral transport media and personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE kits and other necessary logistics, supplied by the National Institute of Virology, Pune, have been distributed to isolation centers in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. A mock drill was conducted in Visakhapatnam to assess preparedness, and passenger tracking is being managed through the integrated health information platform. In total, 120 category-I passengers, who showed no symptoms or contact history, have been monitored through the surveillance system.