India Issues Ebola Travel Advisory, Asks Citizens To Avoid 3 Countries

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spreading rapidly.

[00:00:10]We people as in India need to need not to worry. Because first of all, this is not an airborne or dropletborne disease.

[00:00:17]So its R not is not that much.

[00:00:20]It does not spread very extensively.

[00:00:22]But we have to stay vigilant.

[00:00:35]India has issued a fresh travel advisory amid growing concerns over an Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa. The Union Health Ministry has asked Indian citizens to avoid non-essential travel to three countries - Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan - until further notice. The warning follows a global health alert from the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization has officially declared the Obola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

[00:01:19]The outbreak involves the Bundi Bugio strain of the Obolla virus, a severe viral haemorrhagic fever with a high mortality rate.

[00:01:28]Africa CDC has also declared it a continental health emergency. India's health ministry says the advisory is precautionary. The government has stressed that while no Obolla cases have been reported in India, the evolving situation overseas requires vigilance. Indian citizens currently living in and travelling to affected countries have been advised to strictly follow local health guidelines and maintain distance and precautions.

[00:01:56]According to WHO data age of 21 May. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

[00:02:02]746 suspected cases and 1476 deaths have been reported. Across both Congo and Uganda. 85 confirmed cases and 10 confirmed deaths have been recorded so far.

[00:02:16]Neighboring countries including South Sudan are considered at high risk of transmission. There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment from health authorities for umbilical cord blood caused by the Bundi Bugio strain, which makes early detection, surveillance, and travel precautions critical.

[00:02:38]So it said, as the name itself said, virus is a viral disease. It is basically a zoonotic disease. Zootic diseases are those that are transmitted from wild animals to humans because the interaction between human beings and wildlife has increased.

[00:02:50]So this virus has been there in animals for centuries. Has been for many years.

[00:02:56]But in 1976 we identified its human disease.

[00:02:59]And where does this disease mainly occur? In all the countries like Congo, Zaire or the surrounding areas. Now it is named Ebola because of the Ebola River.

[00:03:10]Because the first cases of Ebola virus disease were detected around the banks of the Ebola River. That's why it became Ebola virus. Ebola virus disease is not a disease caused by a single virus type. There are all types in this also.

[00:03:23]It has three subtypes.

[00:03:25]One is the Zaire virus, the other is the Sudan variant and the one that is currently going around is the Bong Dagio one. It is the least lace studied and the most flimsy. Meaning, the more motility there is, the higher it is. Now its natural reservoir is fruit bat. So the fruit bat has eaten some fruit or animal contaminated by some body fluid like blood or saliva or sometimes rarely antelopes etc. This disease is also transmitted by eating bush meat, such as uncooked meat of dead animals. The thing to know here is that there is no airborne transmission. There is no droplet transmission either. Therefore, the cases remain confined to a limited area because very close contact is required with animals or body fluids. Human to human transmission can also occur through body fluids. Blood, saliva, urine, stool or direct contact with very close contacts.

[00:04:18]We people in India need not to worry because first of all, this is not an airborne or dropletborne disease. So its R not is not that much. It does not spread very extensively. And in the history of the last 50 years, it has been the same that all the epidemics that have occurred have been limited epidemics. The biggest epidemic was between 2014 and 2016. The two-year epidemic was also limited. Although the overall mortality was 28,000 deaths, it was still not a global pandemic. So we need not to worry but we have to stay vigilant not only for Ebola but all the infectious diseases which can affect us. So precautions, hand hygiene, coffee etiquettes are for everyone.

[00:05:06]As the global health agency aims to contain the outbreak, India is taking preventive action. For now the message is clear. Avoid unnecessary travel, stay alert and follow official health guidance.