Ebola Outbreak: DGCA Orders Airlines to Follow Strict SOPs as India Tightens Surveillance

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As Ebola cases continue to rise in parts of Africa, India has stepped up precautionary measures to prevent any possible spread of the deadly virus into the country. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued fresh instructions to airlines operating flights connected to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), asking them to follow strict health safety protocols for passengers arriving in India.

Under the new guidelines, airlines have been told to make mandatory in-flight announcements about Ebola symptoms and collect self-declaration forms from all passengers and crew travelling from or transiting through affected nations before they leave the aircraft.

The move comes amid growing global concern over the outbreak, which has already claimed lives in Africa and prompted international health agencies to issue emergency warnings.

According to the DGCA advisory issued on May 22, airlines must alert passengers about common Ebola symptoms such as fever, weakness, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, skin rash, muscle pain, and unexplained bleeding. Travellers experiencing any of these symptoms have been advised to immediately inform cabin crew members and report to health authorities upon arrival.

Several airlines have been included in the DGCA’s monitoring list, including Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Emirates, Air France, Etihad Airways, Egyptair, and KLM, among others that operate direct or indirect routes connected to Uganda and Congo.

The aviation regulator has also outlined a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling suspected Ebola cases during flights. If a passenger shows symptoms onboard, airlines have been instructed to move the individual to the rear section of the aircraft. Wherever possible, three rows around the suspected passenger should remain vacant to reduce contact with others.

Aircraft carrying suspected cases will also be parked in separate designated bays after landing to avoid unnecessary exposure inside airports.

Apart from onboard protocols, airlines have been directed to maintain adequate stocks of protective equipment, including triple-layer masks, disposable gloves, PPE kits, hand sanitisers, and bio-hazard disposal bags. These supplies will be used for symptomatic passengers and anyone who may have come into close contact with them during travel.

Ebola is a highly dangerous viral haemorrhagic fever that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. The current outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which carries a high mortality rate. Health authorities say there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment available for this strain.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda reviewed India’s preparedness measures in a high-level meeting attended by senior officials from the Health Ministry, ICMR, DGHS, and NCDC. Officials confirmed that no Ebola case has been detected in India so far.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has already classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that countries neighbouring Congo are facing a particularly high risk and should act immediately to contain the spread of the virus.

According to WHO figures, several confirmed and suspected Ebola deaths have already been reported in Congo and Uganda. The Africa CDC has also warned that multiple African nations remain at risk if the outbreak continues to spread rapidly.

Indian authorities are now closely monitoring incoming international passengers, especially those arriving from affected regions, while health agencies continue to strengthen airport surveillance and emergency response systems across the country.