Health Minister, K. Muraleedharan said here that the State had already put in place, strong preventive measures against Ebola, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation and the Union Health Ministry as soon as reports about Ebola began to be reported from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.

He said that health workers with special training have been deployed in all four airports and major ports to screen travellers coming from Ebola-affected nations for any symptoms or travel history or possible exposure to an infected person. Anyone developing symptoms have to mandatorily undergo 21-days’ quarantine and are under the surveillance of local health authorities

*The person at Kottayam, who developed symptoms, was immediately shifted to a district isolation facility for observation and was medically evaluated,” he said.

Isolation and quarantine facilities have been established in all 14 districts to provide medical attention to travellers arriving from Ebola-affected countries who develop symptoms. Necessary equipment and training of health personnel have also been ensured.

Till date, 206 travellers have arrived in Kerala from Ebola-affected countries. Of them, 74 are currently under home quarantine. Another 75 have either completed quarantine or left the State, while 57 have been cross-notified to other States