Second Sudanese National Admitted to Ebola Isolation Ward at Gandhi Hospital

A 23-year-old Sudanese traveler arriving from Uganda was admitted to the Ebola isolation ward at Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad in the early hours of Friday after developing a fever, triggering precautionary health protocols.

According to the Airport Health Officer, the traveler landed at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) and was initially placed under quarantine as part of yellow fever surveillance protocols. After developing a fever during the quarantine period, he was shifted to Gandhi Hospital due to his recent travel history from Uganda, which is designated as a high-risk country under Ebola surveillance.

This is the second Sudanese national to be admitted to the hospital's isolation ward within two days, bringing the total number of individuals currently under observation at the facility to two.

Gandhi Hospital Superintendent Dr. N. Vani clarified that the patient has not been officially classified as an Ebola suspect. She stated that the transfer was a precautionary measure for observation and testing. The patient's attendant was also briefly admitted to the isolation ward but was later discharged after being found stable.

Dr. Vamshee Krishna, the nodal officer for the isolation ward at Gandhi Hospital, confirmed that oral and nasal swab samples have been collected from the patient. The samples have been sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) for testing, with results expected within 48 hours. If the test reports are negative and the patient remains clinically stable, officials indicated he may be discharged and advised to undergo home quarantine.

The first patient, another Sudanese national who traveled to Hyderabad for medical treatment, was admitted a day prior after being flagged during thermal screening at RGIA with a body temperature of 100°F. Both patients are currently reported to be clinically stable.

Gandhi Hospital has been designated as Telangana's nodal centre for Ebola preparedness and has established a dedicated facility comprising 10 isolated rooms with attached bathrooms and 15 quarantine beds. Enhanced screening and thermal scanning remain active at RGIA for passengers arriving from African nations, including Uganda, Congo, and South Sudan.

Earlier in the week, Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha stated that 58 travelers from Ebola-affected countries had arrived in Hyderabad. None of those travelers showed symptoms of the disease, and all were placed under Category-I surveillance and advised to complete a 21-day home isolation as a precautionary measure.