There are about 500 Indians in Guinea, 3,000 in Liberia and 1,200 in Sierra Leone, from where the maximum cases have been reported. Nigeria has a much larger presence of nearly 40,000 Indians. Satish Koul of the department of Internal Medicine, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon, said the screening process at all ports of entry into the country by sea and air route has to be very strict.

"All patients coming from these countries should be thoroughly screened and they should be quarantined for 21 days if they have fever," Koul told IANS. He, however, agreed that India, as compared to the affected West African countries, is very well prepared. "You have to go to these countries to see how people live there in unsanitary conditions."

Said Lov Verma: "The possibility of the virus slipping in cannot be denied, but I think we have done our best. Even WHO has said that the chance of spread through air travel was very less." According to WHO, Ebola may be contracted by contact with blood or body fluids between an infected animal and humans - and among humans themselves.

Between humans, it spreads through contact with blood, body fluids and the environment of the infected person. Ebola's symptoms are fever, sore throat, headache and body pain. Nausea and diarrhoea also may occur. About 50 to 90 percent of the people infected with the virus may die.

Since there are no medicines for the virus itself, treatment is mostly supportive and is aimed at preventing further bacterial and fungal infection. There is still no vaccine for this disease. WHO has said that during an outbreak, those at a higher risk of infection are 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.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has maintained that the threat is still low, but measures are in place to face the situation if the virus reaches India. The government has issued advisories to state disease surveillance units for early detection and management of travel-related cases. Diagnostic facilities have been established at Pune's National Institute of Virology and the National Centre for Disease Control here.

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