Kottayam (Kerala), Jun 18 (PTI) A woman who arrived from South Sudan was shifted to Kottayam Medical College for an Ebola test after she developed a fever, health officials said on Thursday.
According to health officials, the woman, who had returned from South Sudan, approached a private hospital in Pala here on Wednesday with fever.
Considering her recent arrival from the African country, the private hospital informed the Health Department, which decided to shift her to Kottayam Medical College, officials said.
Health officials said she has been admitted to an isolation ward set up at Kottayam Medical College.
Blood samples of the woman have been collected and sent to a laboratory to determine whether she has been infected with the Ebola virus, officials said.
The Health Department had already issued an alert to hospitals across Kerala regarding Ebola cases abroad and decided to monitor people arriving from African countries.
State Health Minister K Muraleedharan told reporters in Thrissur that the patient, whose family is from Pala in Kottayam district, was admitted to a private hospital after developing symptoms, including vomiting.
“Due to her symptoms, she was shifted to the isolation ward at Kottayam Medical College. We are yet to receive the test results,” he said.
Muraleedharan said the Superintendent of Kottayam Medical College had informed him that, based on the preliminary examination, there was nothing alarming at this stage.
“We are preparing the contact list of the patient. There is nothing concerning at this stage. The test results are expected soon,” he said.
The minister said the woman had travelled alone from South Sudan to Uganda before arriving in Kerala.
“After reaching Kerala, she fell ill. As she had travelled from Uganda and was showing symptoms, we decided not to take any risk and shifted her to Kottayam Medical College,” he said.
Muraleedharan said all necessary arrangements had been made at the medical college.
“We had issued an alert to all medical colleges in the state following reports of Ebola cases abroad. We have also procured PPE kits for healthcare workers handling suspected Ebola cases,” he said.
Ebola is a rare but potentially fatal viral disease that spreads mainly through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, including blood, vomit and faeces.
Early symptoms of the disease include fever, sore throat, headache, fatigue and body pain. PTI TBA TBA ROH
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