Amid concerns over possible transmission of the Ebola virus, the Nepali Army has decided to enforce mandatory 21-day isolation for its peacekeeper troops returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Over 970 Nepali peacekeepers are currently deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo under the UN peacekeeping mission, including in Bunia of Ituri province, which is the epicentre of the deadly virus outbreak last month.

According to media reports, at least 51 cases of the Bundibygyo strain have been confirmed, with 144 deaths and over 600 suspected cases recorded in the Congo and Uganda as of Wednesday. There is no vaccine for this strain.

“We will not allow personnel arriving from the Ebola-hit countries to meet anyone or go home until they complete 21 days of isolation,” said Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet, who is also the spokesman for the army. “We are coordinating with all concerned agencies, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and also with the United Nations to prevent any risk of transmission through returning troops.”

Basnet said the army has issued strict safety protocols for peacekeepers in the DR Congo. The UN has also stepped up precautions.

“Those who go out of barracks for fuel are also placed under observation for a certain period,” said Basnet. “Unlike three months ago, currently, we have no plan to rotate troops. Some soldiers may return home in case of an emergency, but they too will be placed in isolation.”

The army said that none of the Nepali peacekeepers has contracted Ebola so far.

Meanwhile, India has issued travel advisories for citizens linked to Ebola-affected African nations. The move followed the UN health body's declaration of a “public health emergency of international concern.” India has also postponed the India-Africa Forum Summit, scheduled to begin in Delhi on May 28, due to the evolving health situation.

Nepal, however, has not issued any such advisory beyond alerting health desks set up at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

“A meeting of the Rapid Response Committee, chaired by the director general of the Department of Health Services, discussed the risk in detail,” said an official at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division requesting anonymity. ‘The meeting has decided to request the Health Ministry to coordinate with the army through the Ministry of Defense, as we do not have the right to directly contact the agencies under other ministries.”

Ebola is a highly contagious viral disease caused by an infection with an orthoebolavirus found in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus can cause serious and often deadly disease, with a mortality rate as high as 80 per cent and 90 percent.

It is reported that people infected with the Ebola virus experienced classic Ebola disease symptoms—fever, headache, vomiting, severe weakness, abdominal pain, nosebleeds and vomiting blood.

The World Health Organisation says the outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency as defined by the International Health Regulations, a legally binding agreement among 196 countries.

Health experts in Nepal say the country is vulnerable to infectious diseases due to high global mobility. With thousands of international arrivals daily and frequent movement of migrant workers, infectious diseases enter the country from any region.

They have urged authorities to strengthen lab capacity, train health workers, and step up surveillance. They say even though the current risk of Ebola spreading in Nepal is low, it would be a mistake to rule it out and become complacent.