Telangana to take action against travellers from Ebola-hit countries giving false information
Hyderabad, June 8
Taking serious note of some travellers from Ebola-affected countries providing false addresses in Hyderabad, Telangana Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha on Monday ordered that cases be booked against such individuals.
He ordered that cases be registered against those providing incorrect information, in accordance with applicable laws, including the Epidemic Diseases Act.
The minister directed that travellers be clearly informed at the airport itself that providing false information would lead to consequences such as legal action and the filing of cases.
During a review meeting on Ebola, officials informed the Minister that some travellers arriving from abroad were not staying at the addresses they had provided. The minister took a serious view of this matter.
He emphasised that travellers arriving from Ebola-affected countries must provide accurate and correct details, including their addresses and phone numbers.
He instructed officials to treat actions such as providing false information or concealing facts with the utmost seriousness.
The minister ordered that the assistance of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) be enlisted to communicate effectively with foreign travellers. He suggested making staff proficient in necessary foreign languages such as French, Arabic, and Swahili, which are widely spoken in Ebola-affected countries, available at the airport across three shifts, 24 hours a day, to ensure the monitoring and information-gathering processes are managed more efficiently.
The meeting reviewed the precautionary measures, surveillance, inter-departmental coordination, and emergency response systems implemented in the state in the wake of the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan.
Officials informed the minister that special surveillance is being maintained on domestic and international travellers arriving in the state from Ebola-affected countries. They stated that the screening and surveillance systems at Shamshabad Airport have been further strengthened.
The officials explained that details of travellers arriving from affected countries are being collected, and their health status is being continuously monitored for 21 days. Individuals exhibiting suspected symptoms are immediately identified and placed in isolation at the Gandhi Hospital.
The minister was informed that two suspected cases had been placed in isolation at the Gandhi Hospital; their samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, and tests returned negative for both. They added that, following ICMR guidelines, samples were collected again and sent to NIV Pune for further testing. They stated that if the second test result is negative, the individuals would be discharged from isolation.
The minister directed that there should be no negligence in the collection and testing of suspected samples. He also requested the Director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) to provide the necessary support to the Health Department.
CCMB Director Dr Vinay Nandicoori stated that Ebola testing kits have been received from the ICMR and that testing has commenced. He explained that tests would be conducted immediately upon receipt of samples, and the results would be communicated to Health Department officials.
The minister directed that coordination be enhanced among the Health Department, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), airport authorities, the Police Department, and other agencies to ensure contact tracing is carried out more effectively.
The minister stated that all necessary arrangements to prevent the spread of Ebola in the state are in place and that the public need not be alarmed. He noted that the government is continuously monitoring the situation and remaining vigilant in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry and the ICMR.
He advised the public to rely only on official information and not to believe rumours or misconceptions.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some action! But why wait till now? Ebola has been in the news for months. Anyway, registering cases under Epidemic Diseases Act is a strong deterrent. Just hope the legal process is swift and not another bureaucratic maze. The 21-day monitoring and isolation at Gandhi Hospital sounds practical, though I'd feel better if they increased testing capacity across the state.
This is good but let's not create panic amongst travellers. The minister said public need not be alarmed, but ordering cases against people will make them scared to report symptoms. What if someone genuinely forgets their new address after relocation? We need a balance between security and compassion. Also, why Swahili? Is there a major Swahili-speaking country affected? Seems like overkill.
A much-needed caution. We've seen how one careless traveller can bring down a whole region's health system. The 21-day monitoring period is crucial because Ebola's incubation can be tricky. And involving CCMB for testing is a smart move—they have great virology expertise. However, I wish the minister had addressed travellers from other states within India too, given our porous borders.
Typical government overreach You can't just book cases for everything. What if someone's phone is stolen or they change accommodation mid-trip due to valid reasons? Instead of threats, they should have a proper helpline where travellers can update details. The EFLU idea is nice but why not use a simple app for tracking? Digital India seems forgotten when it comes to practical solutions.
As someone who works at the airport, I can tell you this is long overdue. Many travellers from
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