Ugandan tourist isolated in Jaipur over suspected Ebola symptoms, samples sent for testing
PTC Web Desk: A 19-year-old woman from Uganda has been admitted to a government hospital in Jaipur after displaying symptoms that raised concerns about a possible Ebola infection, health officials said on Friday.
The woman arrived in Jaipur from Sharjah on an Air Arabia flight as a tourist. During routine health screening at the airport, a medical team from the Rajasthan Health Department identified her as a suspected case and immediately shifted her for further medical examination.
She has been admitted to the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) Hospital and placed in isolation at the hospital’s critical care unit.
RUHS Principal Dr Mohnish Grover said a sample collected from the patient has been sent to a laboratory in Pune for testing. Another sample will be taken and sent after 48 hours as part of the standard protocol.
He said the patient will remain under observation and quarantine until the test reports are received. If the results confirm Ebola infection, she will continue to be isolated for 21 days and receive treatment as per medical guidelines.
Hospital Superintendent Dr Anil Gupta clarified that Ebola has not been confirmed in the patient so far. He said the woman is only showing symptoms that resemble the disease and that a diagnosis cannot be made based on symptoms alone.
According to health officials, the woman has been suffering from abdominal pain and loss of appetite for nearly a month. She is also experiencing headaches at present.
As a precautionary step, authorities have advised passengers who travelled on the same flight to stay in home isolation and monitor their health.
Health officials said the situation is being closely watched and all necessary safety measures are being followed until the test results arrive.
- With inputs from agencies
