Ebola outbreak: 816 passengers tracked by IDSP

In a report released by the Centre, 816 passengers, mostly from Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are being tracked by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme  (IDSP). The government is increasing scrutiny to prevent the spread of Ebola to India. The Supreme Court on August 29 had issued a notice to the Centre on a PIL seeking immediate steps for proper screening of international flyers coming to India from Ebola virus-affected countries to prevent the deadly virus from spreading. 

The report says 113 Indian pasengers (including 2 Nepalese nationals) from Liberia to India have been brought back with the help of M/s Afcons and International SOS. 96 of them have landed in Mumbai and 13 in Delhi. All passengers have reached their respective destinations. The state governments have their details and the IDSP is tracking them, says the report.

The report adds that 181 passengers have flown from Ebola affected nations to Mumbai (71), Delhi (44), Chennai (22), Bangalore (26), Kochi (4), Trivandrum (7), Hyderabad (4) and Kolkata (3). Six people deemed "high risk" Ebola suspects were on Monday admitted to a quarantine facility at Delhi airport. 

There have been 1552 suspected deaths due to the epidemic as per the Centre for Disease Control. 

According to the government report, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has received 706 calls mostly to seek information on signs and symptoms of the disease and travel related risk since it began.