New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS): India upped its Ebola watch Wednesday after traces of the virus were found in the body fluids of a citizen who had returned from Liberia.
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda held a high-level meeting with regard to the issue Tuesday. He said that a three-member team involving officials from the ministries of health, civil aviation and immigration would be constituted to inspect all airports and identify the gaps in the screening process.
The committee has been asked to submit a report on the issue within a week.
Nadda also directed the civil aviation regulator to ensure that all the isolation and quarantine facilities set up at airports adhere to standard guidelines and protocols.
Emphasizing the importance of alertness, Nadda said attention should be paid to intensive training and capacity building of all stakeholders to be better equipped to address the threat posed by the Ebola virus.
"Along with the airports, surveillance at sea ports also needs to be strengthened," Nadda said.
"The health ministry has asked officials to expedite the action plan to make India compliant with the core capacities required under the International Health Regulations."
Speaking to reporters in Jammu Wednesday, Nadda urged hospitals to develop short and long-term strategies for medical management of emerging diseases such as Ebola.
"Training of doctors and the para-medical staff needs to be a continuous exercise," he added.
The Indian who had travelled to Liberia and was infected with Ebola, had been cured but is being kept under observation at the Delhi airport as traces of the virus were found in some of his body fluids.
The blood samples of the 26-year-old male, who reached Delhi Nov 10 tested negative, but his semen samples tested positive.
He underwent the mandatory screening at the Delhi airport. During the interview, he provided information concerning a history of febrile illness for which he was admitted to a health facility in Liberia Sep 11 and was discharged Sep 30.
He carried a certificate of medical clearance from the government of Liberia that said: "He has successfully undergone care and treatment related to Ebola virus disease and after post-treatment assessment, he has been declared free of any clinical signs and symptoms and confirmed negative by laboratory analysis."
As a matter of abundant caution, the person was isolated at the Airport Health Organisation's quarantine centre at the Delhi airport.
His three blood samples tested at the National Centre for Disease Control in Delhi tested negative for Ebola virus.
Therefore, as per WHO and CDC specifications, he was deemed to be cured.
However, the virus shows up in secretions like urine and semen for a longer duration.
Sources in the health ministry said that the ministry of external affairs has been asked to urge affected countries to keep cured Ebola patients for a period of three months within their territories.