Passengers suspected to have been exposed to Ebola virus arrive in Delhi airport
Six people who arrived at Delhi airport this morning from Ebola-hit Liberia, have been isolated and taken for further tests. 112 people are arriving at the Mumbai and Delhi airports on seven flights through the day.
Following are the latest developments:
The two airports have been equipped to screen those arriving on the flights. Strong precautionary measures are in place. Aircraft are being taken first to a remote bay and the passengers are being screened at the step-ladder exit. Health authorities have stressed that these are only precautionary measures being undertaken at the two airports.
A thermal scanner is being used to determine whether any passenger has a fever. It is also being checked if a passenger has come in contact with someone who has had Ebola Virus Disease or EVD. Such passengers are being isolated and taken to hospital for further tests.
It will only be confirmed at the hospital whether or not these passengers have Ebola. In Delhi, they are being taken to a centre that airport authorities have put up in Mahipalpur. In Mumbai, they are being taken to Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Centre and other designated civic-run hospitals.
The luggage of these passengers is also being isolated and moved away with them.
Two flights carrying nine and 13 people have landed since early this morning in Delhi. Some of these passengers flew to Mumbai.
Two flights carrying 66 people have already landed in Mumbai since late last night. No passenger has been identified for isolation or further test in Mumbai.
Four immigration counters have been set up and two people from the airport health organisation are manning a special desk at the Delhi airport. There is also a quarantine facility.
If some passengers have come in contact with Ebola cases, but show no symptoms yet, they will be allowed to go home and health officials will monitor them for three weeks.
These passengers have also been screened in at least three countries - Liberia, South Africa and United Arab Emirates or Ethiopia, where the flights are halting - before they land in India. Passengers who exhibited any symptoms there would have been stopped and quarantined in those countries.
All planes are being disinfected after the passengers alight and passengers for the next flight are being got on board only 30 minutes after the disinfection process.
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