The Karnataka Health Department has increased surveillance and readiness efforts statewide in response to the World Health Organization’s declaration of the Ebola Disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17, 2026. In Bengaluru, the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases is designated as the isolation center, while the Epidemic Diseases Hospital is identified as the quarantine and treatment facility. In Mangaluru, Srinivas Port Hospital under the New Mangalore Port Authority is designated as the quarantine center, and Wenlock District Hospital is the isolation and treatment facility.
Samples from suspected Ebola cases will be collected and sent to the National Institute of Virology in Bengaluru for confirmatory testing at NIV Pune. The public is urged not to panic and to rely solely on official information from health authorities. Individuals returning from Ebola-affected countries are advised to self-monitor and undergo health observation for 21 days upon arrival in India. If symptoms occur, they should promptly report to the nearest health facility.
Health officials emphasize continuous monitoring of the global situation and have implemented all necessary precautionary and preparedness measures to address any potential health crisis. While no Ebola cases have been reported in India to date, precautionary measures have been intensified due to the significant international travel and trade volume. Ebola is a severe viral illness with symptoms such as fever, weakness, muscle pain, sore throat, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, rash, and red eyes.
The disease spreads through direct contact with infected persons’ blood, organs, or body fluids, as well as contaminated materials like bedding, clothes, and syringes. Healthcare workers and close family members of infected individuals are at higher risk. The state has bolstered surveillance and monitoring of suspected cases under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme and improved coordination with airports and Points of Entry. Dedicated quarantine and isolation facilities have been identified, and referral ambulance services are on standby.
Authorities ensure ample stocks of personal protective equipment, medicines, and laboratory facilities statewide. Rapid Response Teams are on alert, and healthcare personnel training and infection prevention and control measures have been intensified to address any potential outbreak effectively.
