China updates Ebola control guideline, tightens surveillance

China released an updated Ebola virus prevention and control guideline on Tuesday, requiring enhanced surveillance and stricter management of close contacts.

The new guideline was issued by the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration amid an acute Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

The outbreak was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization on May 17. Official data released on Tuesday showed that the outbreak had infected more than 800 people and claimed 196 lives in the DR Congo.

According to the guideline, all medical institutions, disease control authorities and customs authorities are required to report suspected or confirmed cases through the national online reporting system within two hours of identification.

Surveillance efforts will be expanded beyond routine port-of-entry quarantine and domestic disease monitoring. New channels include notifications from international organizations, test results from domestic laboratories, and wastewater surveillance of inbound aircraft.

The guideline further clarifies the definition of close contacts as individuals who have had direct exposure to the blood, bodily fluids, secretions, excrement or contaminated items of confirmed or suspected cases. All identified close contacts will be traced and placed under isolated medical observation for 21 days after their last potential exposure.

Meanwhile, all travelers arriving in China from Ebola-affected countries or regions, as well as those with a recent travel history to such areas, are required to undergo 21 days of self-health monitoring. They are advised to seek prompt medical attention if they develop fever, fatigue or other suspicious symptoms.

The Ebola virus has a fatality rate ranging from 50 percent to 90 percent. The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which no targeted vaccines or specific antiviral drugs are currently available.

The incubation period for this strain ranges from two to 21 days, with a typical duration of five to 12 days. To date, no evidence of transmission during the incubation period has been identified.