Ebola Fears Rise: Airports & Ports on High Alert

The Department of Health in Andhra Pradesh has significantly increased its surveillance measures at key entry points, including three airports and three ports, in response to growing worries about the global Ebola outbreak. This heightened alert follows a video conference on November 5 where the Union Ministry of Health reviewed preparedness with state governments.

As part of its readiness, the state has established isolation beds in five government hospitals and ensured the availability of medical personnel and essential equipment. Medical teams are actively screening passengers arriving from Ebola-affected countries for any symptoms at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Tirupati airports, as well as at Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, and Nellore ports.

To further bolster its response capabilities, Andhra Pradesh has prepared a total of 46 isolation beds, 3,288 personal protective equipment kits, 104 sample collection kits, and five ambulances. A mock drill is scheduled for November 12 to rigorously test the effectiveness of these preparedness measures at both state and district levels.

The ongoing Ebola outbreak is noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as spreading substantially faster than previous instances, now ranking as the second-largest on record. As of October 31, the Democratic Republic of Congo has reported 10,467 cases and 5,103 deaths, with other affected countries including Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and France.