Manoj Mourya went to Nigeria last year for work. After he arrived at Mumbai airport on August 24, he was quarantined by BMC as an Ebola suspect. The first person to be isolated on suspicion of carrying the virus,
the 34-year-old man spoke to dna about the fear and experience of spending 24 hours all alone in a room in Jogeshwari Trauma Centre.
"I worked in a cement plant as a fitter on a year-long contract. While I was there, I came to know about Ebola via internet and news channels. There was no scare of Ebola infection till the time I landed in Mumbai airport on August 24," said Mourya.
Mourya was travelling back to India with eight of his colleagues and was screened and cleared at Abhuja and Dubai airports for Ebola virus infection. "At Mumbai airport, doctors made us fill a form on travel history. They checked me for fever and I had slight temperature," Mourya added.
Mourya said he never imagined that he would be a possible Ebola virus infection suspect. "The place where I stayed didn't have any Ebola-infected person. I had cold drinks during the flight and possibly because of that I got temperature. I was immediately packed in an ambulance to the Jogeshwari Trauma Centre," said Mourya.
Talking about his 24-hour experience in the isolation ward, Mourya said he waited for the reports to turn negative even as Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) doctors and nurses kept a special vigil on him 24x7.
"I was alone in the 10bed room, especially kept for Ebola-infected patients. Nurses and doctors wearing special suits kept a round-the-clock vigil and checked me for temperature. They sent my blood samples to National Institute of Virology (NIV) for testing and explained to me the reason behind keeping me there," added Mourya.
Mourya was discharged after 24 hours. "It was a big relief when doctors told me that the report was negative. Initially, I was angry as they suddenly took me to a hospital from the airport and put me in isolation. I wanted to be with my family. But when I was explained about it, I understood the scare," said Mourya.
After being discharged, Mourya went to his village in Uttar Pradesh. "I kept in touch with the BMC health officials for 21 days as they had asked me to keep them posted with possible Ebola symptoms. I am now waiting to return to Nigeria next month," said Mourya.
The Ebola outbreak, which is presently restricted to four West African nations (Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria), has claimed over 2,461 lives and has kept the WHO and health officials across the world busy as there is no available treatment for the virus.
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