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Ebola Watch: Air Suvidha Portal Activated as India Monitors Arrivals From High-Risk Countries
Ebola: Amid the rising threat of the Ebola virus, India has made it mandatory for travelers arriving from affected countries to fill out an online self-declaration form via the 'Air Suvidha' portal. Meanwhile, in France, five individuals who came into contact with an infected doctor have been placed in isolation.
The outbreak of Ebola is mostly seen in Central and East Africa, but France has raised its alert level. The Government of India is now conducting more screenings of passengers who arrive from countries experiencing Ebola cases. The Air Suvidha website is live for the passengers traveling from or transiting through such countries.
Passengers will be able to complete the self-declaration form (SDF) much faster using the online process prior to arrival in India. The old practice of using a paper form is no longer applicable. It is reported that the practice started following the announcement of the WHO declaring the Ebola virus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
France has identified and isolated five individuals who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus. These individuals were traveling on the same flight as a doctor who subsequently tested positive for the virus. French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist stated on Wednesday (local time) that the doctor had been working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before returning to France. According to the minister, the patient is an experienced doctor returning from a mission who was unaware he had contracted the virus. He exhibited no symptoms when he boarded the plane. He developed a headache during the flight and raised an alert so that he could receive appropriate care upon arrival in Paris.
