Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya addressed public concerns on May 28 regarding a suspected Ebola case involving a traveller from the Democratic Republic of Congo, confirming the test results were negative.

In a social media statement, Pansheriya sought to prevent misinformation and public panic. He urged citizens to avoid rumours and rely solely on information from the Health Department. He said, “The report of a suspected patient of the infectious disease Ebola virus originating from Congo has come back negative. Citizens are requested not to harbour any kind of fear or panic and to stay away from rumours, relying only on the official information provided by the Health Department.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO), following the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005, declared on May 17 the Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The Congolese government reported on Wednesday that since the outbreak began, there have been 1,077 suspected cases of Ebola, including 246 deaths. Laboratory confirmation has been made for 121 infections, which include 17 fatal cases, according to DPA. The WHO believes the actual number of cases is significantly higher due to delayed detection in Ituri province bordering Uganda and South Sudan, and because not all cases have been reported.