Ebola Alert At Kochi Airport: Thermal Screening, 21-Day Travel History Check As WHO Declares Global Emergency

Last Updated:May 22, 2026, 14:05 IST

No vaccine, no cure: Officials warn the Bundibugyo strain driving the current Ebola outbreak has no approved treatment — making early detection the only defence.

A deadly virus that kills up to half of those it infects is now triggering emergency protocols at Kochi airport — and if you’re flying in from Central or East Africa, expect to be stopped, screened, and asked hard questions about where you’ve been.

Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) and the Airport Health Organisation (APHO) have jointly activated a 24×7 health surveillance system at the airport, making Kochi one of the first Indian airports to operationalise on-ground protocols after the World Health Organisation on May 16 declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

The numbers behind that declaration are alarming: as of May 20, there were 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths, with WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus himself expressing concern over the outbreak’s “scale and speed".

What Happens When You Land At Kochi Now?

International passengers — especially those arriving from Congo, Uganda and South Sudan — will face thermal screening, mandatory submission of self-declaration forms, and verification of 21-day travel history.

The CIAL-APHO meeting, attended by Airport Director Manu G and senior health officials, also stressed strict use of three-layer masks and proper handwashing. Isolation wards have been designated at Ernakulam General Hospital, Government Hospital Kalamassery and District Hospital Aluva for suspected cases.

(details to follow)

(With inputs from Neethu Reghukumar in Thiruvananthapuram)

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