Paraguay's Ministry of Public Health has stepped up health surveillance measures at all points of entry into the country following the World Health Organization's declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern over the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and imported cases reported in Uganda.
The measure, coordinated by the General Directorate of Health Surveillance, is preventive in nature. Health authorities stressed that, to date, there are no confirmed cases of Ebola in Paraguay. Controls follow the guidelines of the International Health Regulations and current national protocols, with the aim of ensuring early detection and an institutional response to potential risks.
The current outbreak corresponds to the Bundibugyo species of the Filoviridae virus family. The disease manifests itself through fever, headache, body aches, extreme weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, and bleeding. The risk of spread increases through direct contact with bodily fluids from symptomatic patients, unprotected medical settings, or wild animals. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 246 suspected deaths and 1,077 suspected cases since the start of the current outbreak, while Uganda has confirmed nine infections, including one death from an imported case.
As part of the protocol, all travelers arriving in Paraguay from areas considered at risk must notify the Border Control Directorate in advance of their arrival date and itinerary details via the email address cspe.dgvs@gmail.com. In addition, these individuals must conduct rigorous self-monitoring of their health status for 21 days after leaving the affected area and immediately report any suspicious symptoms to Ministry of Health channels to activate isolation mechanisms.
Authorities emphasized that traveler cooperation is essential to prevent the introduction of the virus and protect the Paraguayan population in the face of international health events.