Afcons employees Ebola free, but states asked to follow up

The passengers who landed in Delhi have also been taken to Mumbai by Afcons. “They have all been screened and found healthy except for one passenger, who had fever and sore throat. He has been discharged from the quarantine-cum-isolation facility at Delhi airport after testing negative for Ebola virus,” an official said.

The Health Ministry has instructed state governments track and monitor these passengers till 21 days, which is considered the incubation period for the virus till it can show symptoms. “These passengers will be attached to the local health facility and local authorities will ensure that they follow up these passengers on a day-to-day basis for a month,” an official said.

The five passengers who travelled from affected countries and were quarantined at isolation facility at Delhi airport on Tuesday have tested negative for Ebola virus and released, an release from the ministry on Wednesday confirmed.

In the last 24 hours, 148 passengers from the affected countries have arrived at Mumbai (30), Delhi (92), Kochi (8), Bangalore (15) and Chennai (3). One passenger travelling from Nigeria has been found symptomatic and quarantined at isolation facility at Delhi airport. Her report is awaited.

The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) is tracking such passengers, the details of which are provided to them by the Airport Health Organisation.

On Wednesday, 45 passengers were enrolled for follow up in their respective states through state IDSP units. Till date, a total of 821 passengers are being tracked, who reside in Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.