Ugandan woman isolated in city, Ebola suspected

Jaipur: A 19-year-old Ugandan woman who arrived at Jaipur International Airport from the UAE Friday was found with symptoms consistent with an Ebola infection, in what is the first suspected case of the disease in Rajasthan.

The woman, who arrived in Jaipur from Sharjah on an Air Arabia flight, was flagged by health officials at the airport during routine screening and later shifted to the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) Hospital, where she was admitted to an isolation facility as a precaution.

RUHS principal Dr Mohnish Grower clarified that an Ebola infection has not been confirmed, and that the patient is currently being treated as a suspected case based on her symptoms and travel history.

Officials said all standard isolation, surveillance and contact-tracing protocols have been activated as a precautionary measure.

Health officials said the woman reported a month-long history of abdominal pain and loss of appetite. She was also suffering from a headache, and remains under close medical observation at the hospital’s critical care unit, they added.

RUHS Hospital superintendent Dr Anil Gupta said samples from the patient have been forwarded for testing. “The patient has symptoms that point to an Ebola infection, but the disease cannot be confirmed on symptoms alone,” he added.

Health officials said the first sample has been sent to a specialised laboratory in Pune for testing, while a second sample will be dispatched after 48 hours, as per protocol. The woman will remain in quarantine until both test results come back.

Doctors at RUHS said the first test report is expected either by Saturday evening or Sunday morning.

“The medical team extensively reviewed her travel and medical history before categorising her as a suspected case,” an official said. Authorities are also looking into the medical screening she underwent before her departure from Sharjah.

If the test results come back positive for Ebola, the woman will be kept in isolation for 21 days and treated according to established management protocols, officials said.

Authorities have also issued advisories to passengers who travelled with her on the same flight, asking them to monitor their health and remain under observation.

India has not reported any confirmed Ebola case so far, and officials urged people not to panic while the test results of the Ugandan woman are awaited.