NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A week after a Malaria patient was isolated by healthcare professionals for medical treatment, the 26-year-old man is recovering and has been removed from quarantine.
“He is now out of isolation,” said Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands yesterday.
According to the Ministry of Health, the man went to the hospital with symptoms of fever, headache, vomiting and diarrhea on October 20.
It noted the patient had no evidence of bleeding, one of the symptoms in cases of Ebola, which the ministry remains on high alert for due to the “global emergency” concerning the disease.
The patient was immediately isolated due to his recent history of travel through Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean. Blood samples obtained confirmed Malaria, a mosquito-borne infectious disease.
Yesterday, Sands expressed satisfaction with the public health system surveillance and response.
“The red flags went off,” he told Eyewitness News Online.
“I think it shows that the international health regulations reporting standards work in The Bahamas.”
The ministry has advised travelers going to areas where Malaria is known to occur to speak to a healthcare professional prior in order to have their risks identified, as there may be a need to receive medication to take before, during and after their trip to prevent illness.
