Bhubaneswar, May 23: Authorities at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar have stepped up surveillance measures in response to global concerns over Ebola outbreaks in parts of Africa. The airport has implemented precautionary protocols following an advisory issued by India’s Health Ministry.

Under the new measures, BPIA officials will conduct thermal screening of passengers and verify their travel history over the past 21 days. Any suspected cases will be referred for Ebola testing in accordance with Health Ministry guidelines, said BPIA Director Prasanna Pradhan.

“The Health Ministry has issued an Ebola advisory for all international airports in the country. We have intensified surveillance on international passengers at BPIA,” Pradhan added.

Ebola can spread from animals to humans and through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals. The disease has an incubation period of two to 21 days, with early symptoms including fever, sore throat, headache, and flu-like signs. The mortality rate ranges from 30 to 50 percent.

Among the five known species of the Ebola virus, there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo Ebola Virus (BDBV) variant, reports said.