Ebola effect: Thermal scanners to be installed at Ahmedabad airport

At present, there are around 150 such transit patients who came to other states of India and then came to Gujarat.

Aiming to isolate Ebola patients and to pre-empt spreading of the virus in Gujarat, the state Health Department has procured a thermal body scanner from the Central government which is likely to be installed at the Ahmedabad International Airport by Tuesday. The scanner will help health officials identify any international flier with high fever — a basic symptom of Ebola — at the airport so that proper health check up of that person could be done to ascertain if the person is suffering from Ebola or not.

Government sources said that apart from this, the Health Department has also sent a team to Delhi to train them to handle the Ebola patients. This team will, subsequently, impart training to the health staff in Gujarat. The Health Department has also set up a special Isolation Ward at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to quarantine any patient suspected to be suffering from Ebola.

Government sources further added that there were four source countries for the epidemic from West Africa and the virus has further spread to other countries like the United States from there. “So, if at all it comes to India or Gujarat, it will come either from international airports or ports. Now, in Gujarat, we don’t have any passenger ports. So, we have to keep vigil at international airport in Ahmedabad and accordingly initiatives have been taken to discover any Ebola patient’s entry at Ahmedabad International Airport,” said a government official.

Story continues below this ad

Accordingly, the Health Department had recently sought a thermal body scanner from the Central government which was granted by the latter. And the scanner reached Gujarat, on Sunday, and it is likely to be calibrated and installed at Ahmedabad International Airport soon, by Tuesday.

“The first symptom of Ebola is high fever. So, Health Department has decided to screen all international passengers arriving at the Ahmedabad International Airport. If, a passenger has high fever, the thermal body scanner will identify the same and that passenger will be asked to undergo necessary tests,” sources said.

Subsequently, the Health Department is going to follow the health condition of that patient for three weeks. And if necessary, a patient can also be quarantined at a special Isolation Ward that has been set up for the Ebola patients at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.

“At Cargo ports also in Gujarat, the government has passed necessary instructions to the concerned department to make sure that necessary screening is done of the crew members,” sources added.

Story continues below this ad

Sources said that international passengers having symptoms similar to those of Ebola are being monitored by the Union government at international airports across the country. And these international passengers’ health is being followed for three weeks wherever they go in India. “At present, there are around 150 such transit patients who came to other states of India and then came to Gujarat,” the added.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Taboola...

For Kolkata, the IMD has forecast mostly cloudy skies with light to moderate rain or thundershowers on most days through Panchami.

Unprecedented rain submerges Kolkata amidst Durga Puja preparations; train services hit

Cities3 min ago

At least two people were killed as Kolkata woke up to an inundated city on Tuesday morning after heavy overnight rainfall flooded streets, railway tracks, and Metro tracks. The downpour, which began late Monday night and continued past midnight, led to severe waterlogging across major arterial roads and residential areas, paralysing normal life.

View all shorts

Live Blog