Delhi Airport issues Ebola health advisory for passengers from DRC, Uganda
Synopsis
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport has issued a formal Ebola health advisory targeting passengers from the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan — as the DRC logs 513 suspected cases and 131 suspected deaths in its latest outbreak. With Jordan already imposing entry bans, India's move signals that global health systems are treating this outbreak with a seriousness not seen since the last major Ebola emergency.
Key Takeaways
Indira Gandhi International Airport issued an Ebola public health advisory on 21 May , targeting passengers from DRC , Uganda , and South Sudan .
Passengers with symptoms — including fever, unexplained bleeding, or muscle pain — must report to the Airport Health Officer before immigration clearance .
Travellers must also report if they develop symptoms within 21 days of arrival and disclose travel history to healthcare providers.
The DRC has reported 513 suspected Ebola cases and 131 suspected deaths in its latest outbreak, according to DRC Health Minister Roger Kamba .
Jordan has imposed a temporary entry ban on travellers from DRC and Uganda , reflecting widening international concern.
Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Thursday, 21 May issued a public health advisory asking passengers arriving from or transiting through Ebola-affected countries to immediately report to health authorities if they display symptoms of the disease. The advisory, shared via the airport's official account on social media platform X, was issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
High-Risk Countries and Screening Criteria
The advisory identifies Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and South Sudan as high-risk countries, based on updates from the World Health Organization (WHO). Travellers arriving from these destinations are subject to enhanced health screening at the airport.
Passengers experiencing symptoms including fever, vomiting, weakness or fatigue, diarrhoea, headache, unexplained bleeding, muscle pain, or sore throat have been instructed to report to the Airport Health Officer or health desk before immigration clearance. Those who have had direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a suspected or confirmed Ebola patient are also required to notify health authorities on arrival.
What Travellers Must Do After Arrival
The advisory further states that passengers who develop any of the listed symptoms within 21 days of arrival in India should seek immediate medical attention and disclose their recent travel history to healthcare providers. Delhi Airport urged all passengers to cooperate with health screening measures in compliance with International Health Regulations (IHR).
Scale of the Outbreak in DRC
The advisory comes as the DRC reports a significant Ebola flare-up. According to available data, the country has recorded 513 suspected Ebola cases and 131 suspected deaths in its latest outbreak. DRC Health Minister Roger Kamba stated on Tuesday that the fatalities were recorded across affected regions, though he noted that not all deaths were necessarily linked to Ebola.
Global Response and International Measures
India's precautionary advisory aligns with a broader wave of international vigilance. Jordan on Wednesday announced a temporary ban on entry for travellers from the DRC and Uganda over Ebola-related concerns — one of the first such travel restrictions by a non-African nation in the current outbreak cycle. This comes amid growing concern among global health bodies over the pace of case reporting and cross-border movement in affected regions.
Notably, Ebola outbreaks in the DRC have recurred multiple times over the past decade, making it the country with the highest cumulative burden of the disease globally. The current advisory reflects India's obligation under IHR to screen and respond at points of entry — a framework that gained renewed attention following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health authorities are expected to continue monitoring WHO situation reports and may expand or revise the advisory depending on how the outbreak evolves in the coming weeks.
Point of View
Not reactive — and that distinction matters. The DGHS-backed screening protocol at IGI Airport follows IHR obligations rather than confirmed domestic cases, which is the correct posture. However, the real stress test is implementation: airport health desks are chronically understaffed, and self-reporting by symptomatic travellers is notoriously unreliable. The DRC's own figures — 513 suspected cases with the health minister qualifying that not all 131 deaths are confirmed Ebola — point to a surveillance gap that makes border screening harder, not easier. India would do well to pair the advisory with a clear public-facing protocol on what happens after a traveller self-reports, before that question is answered by a confirmed case.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Delhi Airport issued an Ebola health advisory?
Delhi Airport issued the advisory on 21 May in response to an active Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. The advisory, backed by the DGHS under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, requires symptomatic passengers from these countries to report to health authorities before immigration clearance.
Which countries are covered under the Delhi Airport Ebola advisory?
The advisory covers passengers arriving from or transiting through the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and South Sudan, identified as high-risk countries based on WHO updates.
What symptoms should travellers watch for under the Ebola advisory?
Travellers should watch for fever, vomiting, weakness or fatigue, diarrhoea, headache, unexplained bleeding, muscle pain, and sore throat. Anyone experiencing these symptoms must report to the Airport Health Officer or health desk before clearing immigration.
How serious is the current Ebola outbreak in DRC?
The DRC has reported 513 suspected Ebola cases and 131 suspected deaths in its latest outbreak, according to DRC Health Minister Roger Kamba. He noted on Tuesday that not all recorded fatalities were necessarily linked to Ebola, indicating ongoing case verification.
What should a traveller do if symptoms appear after leaving the airport?
Any traveller who develops Ebola-like symptoms within 21 days of arriving in India should seek immediate medical care and inform healthcare providers of their recent travel history, as specified in the DGHS advisory.
