Gujarat rules out Ebola as Congo traveller tests negative in Vadodara
Synopsis
Gujarat's brief Ebola scare is over — but it exposed how swiftly India's surveillance machinery can be activated. A Congolese businessman who passed through Mumbai, Silvassa, Daman, and Vadodara tested negative, and all four quarantined contacts are cleared. No confirmed Ebola case has been reported in India, yet airport screening at SVPIA remains heightened for travellers from Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan.
Key Takeaways
Amuri Lokula , a 37-year-old Congolese businessman, tested negative for Ebola on 28 May 2025 .
All four individuals quarantined in Ahmedabad — including three contacts — have now returned negative results.
Lokula travelled from Congo to Mumbai , then through Silvassa-Daman , before arriving in Vadodara on 22 May .
State Health Minister Praful Pansheriya urged the public not to panic and to rely only on official Health Department updates.
Enhanced screening is in place at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport for passengers from Congo , Uganda , and South Sudan .
No confirmed Ebola case has been reported anywhere in India so far.
A suspected Ebola case in Gujarat has been cleared after tests on a 37-year-old Congolese businessman, identified as Amuri Lokula, returned negative, State Health Minister Praful Pansheriya confirmed on Thursday, 28 May. The development eases concerns that had prompted authorities to quarantine four individuals across Ahmedabad as a precautionary measure.
How the Scare Unfolded
Amuri Lokula had travelled from Congo to Mumbai, arriving approximately 10 days ago. He spent five days in Mumbai before moving to the Silvassa-Daman region for roughly four days, and subsequently reached Vadodara on 22 May. He developed fever following his travel from Africa, triggering a health alert under standard Ebola surveillance protocols.
On Wednesday, state authorities isolated all four individuals — including Lokula — at separate facilities in Ahmedabad. Samples were dispatched for laboratory testing, and results for the three contacts had already returned negative before Lokula's own test was processed.
What the Government Said
Minister Pansheriya urged the public to remain calm and rely solely on official communication. 'Citizens are requested not to panic in any manner and to stay away from rumours. They should trust only the official information issued by the Health Department,' he said. He added that 'the state government and the Health Department are fully alert, prepared and committed to safeguarding public health.'
A Health Department source confirmed that only Lokula was tested for Ebola specifically, and that the results of all four quarantined individuals are now negative.
Preparedness Measures in Place
Even as the immediate scare has passed, Gujarat authorities have reinforced surveillance at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad, with enhanced screening for passengers arriving from Ebola-affected countries including Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. Isolation wards were kept on standby at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, Surat Civil Hospital, and SVP Hospital.
National Surveillance Context
Health authorities across India have stepped up monitoring following suspected Ebola-related alerts in both Gujarat and Bengaluru. Notably, no confirmed Ebola case has been reported anywhere in the country so far. This comes amid heightened global concern over Ebola transmission patterns in Central and East Africa, making airport-level screening a critical first line of defence for India's public health infrastructure.
With all four test results now negative, the immediate public health risk in Gujarat appears contained — though officials have indicated that surveillance protocols will remain in force.
Point of View
But the episode underscores a structural vulnerability: a traveller moved through at least four Indian cities — Mumbai, Silvassa, Daman, Vadodara — over roughly nine days before a health alert was triggered. That gap between arrival and quarantine is the real story. India's airport surveillance is improving, but contact-tracing speed and inter-state health communication need to be seamless for a pathogen as lethal as Ebola. The fact that isolation wards had to be readied reactively, rather than proactively flagging the traveller at the port of entry, points to gaps that a negative test result does not erase.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the Gujarat Ebola test come back negative?
Yes. The test conducted on Amuri Lokula , a 37-year-old Congolese businessman quarantined in Ahmedabad, returned negative for Ebola, State Health Minister Praful Pansheriya confirmed on 28 May 2025. The three other individuals quarantined as contacts had already tested negative earlier.
Who is Amuri Lokula and why was he tested for Ebola?
Amuri Lokula is a 37-year-old businessman who travelled from Congo to India. He developed fever after passing through Mumbai, Silvassa, Daman, and Vadodara, prompting health authorities to test him for Ebola given his travel history from an Ebola-affected region.
Are there any confirmed Ebola cases in India?
No confirmed Ebola case has been reported in India as of 28 May 2025. Health authorities in Gujarat and Bengaluru have investigated suspected cases, but all results so far have returned negative.
What precautions has Gujarat taken at airports?
Gujarat has intensified passenger screening at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad for travellers arriving from Ebola-affected countries, including Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. Isolation wards have been kept on standby at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, Surat Civil Hospital, and SVP Hospital.
Should people in Gujarat be worried about Ebola?
According to State Health Minister Praful Pansheriya, there is no cause for public alarm. All quarantined individuals have tested negative, and officials have asked citizens to avoid rumours and follow only official Health Department communications.
