New Delhi, Aug 1:
As many as 10,974 international passengers arriving in India from Ebola-affected countries have been screened for the disease since May 23, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Friday, amid heightened surveillance after the WHO declared the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Union Health Minister JP Nadda said passengers arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and South Sudan were screened between May 23 and July 28 based on self-declaration forms submitted by international travellers, and through the Air Suvidha 2.0 portal.
He said the government has not imposed any blanket restriction on entry of travellers from Ebola-affected countries, he said, adding that all international passengers arriving at Points of Entry are being screened for a history of travel to the affected countries during the preceding 21 days.
The measures were strengthened following the declaration of the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak as a PHEIC by World Health Organization (WHO) and a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) by the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), he added.