A special ward at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) and a screening desk at Tiruchi International Airport are among the measures that have been carried out in the city in response to the alert over the Ebola disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda issued by World Health Organisation (WHO) this week.

Following WHO’s declaration of the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17, the Centre had directed all States and Union Territories to strengthen surveillance, hospital preparedness and rapid response systems.

“Since Tiruchi has an international airport, a special 10-bed ward has been created to deal exclusively with potential cases. We are also stepping up our hygiene and cleanliness routine to ensure safety for all,” an MGMGH official told The Hindu.

At the Tiruchi international airport, a screening desk with four medical staff has been in operation from Saturday to test travellers arriving from Uganda, South Sudan and Congo. A senior Health department official said there were no passengers so far on the route at the city’s airport.

According to the official WHO website, Ebola disease is a severe, often fatal illness affecting humans and other primates. Ebola disease is caused by viruses that belong to the Orthoebolavirus genus of the filoviridae family.

Three different viruses are known to cause large Ebola disease outbreaks: Ebola virus, Sudan virus and Bundibugyo virus. Early intensive supportive care, including rehydration and treatment of specific symptoms, can improve survival. Symptoms of Ebola disease can be sudden and include fever, fatigue, malaise, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.