Ugandan woman isolated in Bengaluru under Ebola surveillance after reporting mild symptoms

A 28-year-old woman from Uganda has been isolated at a government hospital in Bengaluru after developing mild body ache days after arriving in India, prompting precautionary Ebola surveillance measures while health authorities await laboratory test results.

The woman arrived at Kempegowda International Airport on May 23 via Ahmedabad after travelling from Uganda. She was later shifted to the state-run Epidemic Diseases Hospital in Indiranagar after officials monitoring arrivals from Ebola-affected regions flagged fatigue and subsequent mild symptoms.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Wednesday that no case of Ebola Virus Disease had been confirmed in India and that the traveller remains clinically stable.

“The Government of India is closely monitoring the evolving Ebola Virus Disease situation in view of recent outbreaks reported in parts of Africa,” the ministry said.

Officials said samples collected from the woman have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, with results expected within two days. A repeat test is also scheduled after 48 hours of observation as part of standard protocol.

Bengaluru District Surgeon and Medical Superintendent of the Epidemic Diseases Hospital, Anil Kumar, said the woman did not show symptoms during airport screening but was kept under observation due to her travel history.

“She developed a mild body ache after which samples were collected and sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune,” he said, adding that she has not developed any additional symptoms.

Authorities said the woman initially checked into a hotel after arriving in Bengaluru before being shifted to hospital as a precautionary measure.

Ritvik Ranjanam Pandey, principal secretary of Karnataka’s health department, said officials are still assessing the nature of her symptoms.

“At this stage, there is no clarity on whether the symptoms are linked to Ebola. Since she appeared fatigued during screening, airport health officials decided to send her samples for examination,” he said.

The Centre said surveillance and screening measures are being strengthened at entry points and across the health system in coordination with Karnataka authorities, following World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

Karnataka has also identified dedicated facilities for quarantine and treatment. In Bengaluru, the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases has been designated as an isolation centre, while the Epidemic Diseases Hospital will serve as a quarantine and treatment facility. In Mangaluru, Srinivas Port Hospital has been marked as a quarantine centre and Wenlock District Hospital as an isolation and treatment facility.

The measures follow Union health ministry directives to states and Union territories to strengthen surveillance, hospital preparedness and rapid response systems.

The WHO has classified recent Ebola outbreaks in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo as a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern”.