Bhubaneswar, May 27 -- The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for airlines following the declaration of the Ebola outbreak by the World Health Organization in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Under the new SOP, airlines operating flights connected to Uganda and Congo have been directed to ensure the mandatory collection and submission of self-declaration forms from passengers before disembarkation. The move aims to strengthen surveillance and prevent the spread of the disease in India.

According to the DGCA, airlines must make specific health-related announcements during flights to help identify potential Ebola cases at a...