The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the latest Ebola outbreak in Africa a public health emergency of international concern, prompting India to postpone the upcoming India-Africa Forum Summit scheduled to hold in New Delhi later this month.
The summit, which was expected to bring together leaders and representatives from across the African continent between May 28 and 31, was postponed following growing concerns over the worsening Ebola situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, India and the African Union announced that the summit would be delayed due to the “emerging public health situation in the continent,” adding that a new date would be announced later.
The decision came shortly after the WHO raised global alarm over the outbreak, which has so far recorded about 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths, according to the health agency.
Health experts say the current outbreak is particularly concerning because it involves a rare strain of the Ebola virus for which there is currently no approved vaccine. The situation is further complicated by ongoing conflict in some of the affected regions, making containment efforts more difficult.
Ebola is a severe and often deadly viral disease that spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood, vomit, and other secretions. Symptoms usually appear within two to 21 days after exposure and initially resemble malaria or flu, including fever, headache, weakness, and fatigue.
As the illness progresses, patients may develop vomiting, diarrhoea, organ failure, and in some cases, internal and external bleeding.
Although no Ebola cases have been reported in India, authorities have moved swiftly to strengthen preventive measures. India’s Directorate General of Health Services issued a health advisory for passengers arriving from or transiting through Ebola-affected countries.
Travellers were advised to immediately report to airport health authorities and seek urgent medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, or unexplained bleeding within 21 days of travel or exposure to infected persons.
Experts also warned that increasing urbanisation across Africa is heightening the risk of Ebola transmission, as larger populations are moving closer to areas where the virus naturally exists in animals such as fruit bats.
The India-Africa Forum Summit, now in its fourth edition, is regarded as a major platform for strengthening diplomatic, economic, and strategic ties between India and African nations. The postponement marks the first major international event to be disrupted by the latest Ebola emergency.