However, a top official in the Ministry of Health, Government of India said the fear is without substance.
This time of the year i.e from October till early December a large number of migratory birds especially the Amur falcons arrive in the region especially in Nagaland for roosting, from Southeastern Siberia and northern China en route to their final destinations such as Somalia, Kenya and South Africa and then the cycle goes on.
Given this picture, apeculations are rife whether migratory birds can spread the deadly Ebola virus to various parts of the world.
However, the Ministry of Health, Government of India feels there is no substance to support that theory.
"There is no such direction from the Ministry of Health," said Dr Partha Gogoi, Regional Director, Ministry of Health, Government of India when Newmai News Network queried today if the migratory birds during this time of the season can spread the Ebola virus in the North East region.
It is believed that fruit bats are the natural host of the Ebola virus.
Dr Partha Gogoi also said there is no report so far of Ebola virus being detected in the bats in the North East region.
According to the Wikipedia site, the Ebola virus may be acquired upon contact with blood or bodily fluids of an infected animal.
The site also said Ebola virus disease (EVD), Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), or simply Ebola is a disease of humans and other primates caused by an ebolavirus.
Symptoms start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pain and headaches.
Typically, vomitting, diaorrhea and rash follow, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys are the signs.
Around this time, affected people may begin to bleed both within the body and externally.
Meanwhile, Dr Partha Gogoi also informed Newmai News Network that since the airports in the North East region have no direct flights to the African continent or for that matter the affected countries in West Africa, the work-load for the Health Ministry in the region with regard to Ebola disease is lesser compared to other cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.
Nevertheless, Regional Director of the Ministry of Health said they are constantly on high alert.
Source: The Sangai Express
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