CHENNAI: A 22-year-old man who returned from Nigeria on Monday with a high fever was being closely monitored at an isolated ward in the Government General Hospital here for symptoms of the Ebola virus.

The patient, Balamurugan from Ariyalur district, completed a course at the Madras Medical College and has been working at a private hospital in Nigeria. Balamurugan, who was on a vacation, arrived at the Chennai airport via Abu Dhabi on Monday night with a high fever. He was immediately screened at the airport and sent to the GH where he was quarantined.

Dr S Raghunandan, deputy medical superintendent at the hospital, said," We are running tests for Ebola, dengue, malaria, chikungunya and typhoid on him. His blood samples have been collected and sent to labs for testing and we are awaiting the results."

The doctor added that after starting the first course of treatment, the patient’s fever had subsided considerably but nothing was certain as yet and they would continue to monitor him at an isolated ward.

Health officials said that no Ebola cases had been reported and assured that there was no reason to panic. Public health director Dr K Kolandaisamy said that though Balamurugan traveled to India from Nigeria, he was not from the parts of the country that were battling the virus. “But since he is showing symptoms of fever he will be closely monitored,” he said.

He further said that it was not certain whether his fever had subsided for good or if it had come under control due to the medication. It would be clear only when the drugs are gradually minimized.

“Even if the patient tests negative for Ebola, he will be continuously be monitored by the district health teams and be kept under surveillance for 21 days,” said the senior official.

