The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with Indian health ministry to come up with a ‘preparedness plan’ in case there is an Ebola outbreak in the country. According to WHO, India needs further plans to strengthen its infection control mechanism and surveillance to prevent an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) like West African countries. Also Read - Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: 4 reasons an eco-friendly Ganesha is good for you

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At a technical briefing here on the disease and how to prevent it, here’s what the WHO recommended: Also Read - Coronavirus update: Cases surge in South Korea, WHO fears spread to African countries

WHO said that in affected countries it does not advise families or communities to care at their homes for individuals who have symptoms of EVD. Rather, they should seek treatment in a hospital or treatment centre staffed by doctors and nurses qualified and equipped to treat EVD. The list of affected countries is currently limited to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Nigeria, they added. (Read: Ebola Outbreak Timeline: History of the deadly virus ).

Asheena Khalakdina, Team Leader, Communicable Diseases, WHO Country office for India said further strengthening of infection control, practising special surveillance and better communication would be important for which the government plans to hold special training on EVD for medical personnel in various states of the country over the next one month. (Read: Ebola in India: Will experimental drug ZMapp ever come to India? ).

Ebola in India: Will experimental drug ZMapp ever come to India? People are infectious as long as their blood and secretions contain the virus. For this reason, Ebola-infected patients receive close monitoring from medical professionals and undergo laboratory tests to ensure the virus is no longer circulating in their systems before they return home, she said. (Read: 5 reasons the ebola virus should never come to India )

5 reasons the ebola virus should never come to India The WHO informed that during an outbreak, those at a higher risk of infection should be identified. These include health workers, family members or others in close contact with infected people and mourners who have direct contact with the bodies of the deceased as part of burial ceremonies. (Read more about Ebola virus causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention

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