A second American tourist has been identified as the 17th case of malaria discovered in Exuma, The Tribune has learned.
However Ministry of Health officials maintain that this is an “old infection” and should not be viewed as a new case. Confirming the report, chief medical officer at the Ministry of Health Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis said these findings have been independently confirmed with the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and that the man in question was “staying on a boat.”
According to sources, this case was discovered on the same day that Health Minister Dr BJ Nottage was giving parliamentarians the ministry’s optimistic assurance that the matter was “under control”.
Speaking to parliamentarians on Wednesday, Dr Nottage said that the local transmission of the disease in Exuma has been “successfully interrupted”, and that they were certain that the parasite that caused this cluster of malaria was imported. Echoing this sentiment Dr Dahl-Regis explained that although this case was just recently identified, it is unlikely that the carrier would have caused any new transmissions as their fogging and larvaciding on the island has virtually eliminated the Anoepheles mosquito – the carrier of the disease. The Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the most severe and potentially fatal strain in humans, is the strain that has been identified at Exuma.
This report will be the second American who has been infected by the disease since May of this year, and the 17th confirmed case overall.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Health late yesterday, the ministry stated that it had informed the public that additional cases of malaria would be found, and the identification of this one is a result of “increased surveillance” on the island.
The release states that the case is of “six weeks duration”, and associated with cases diagnosed earlier in the month.
“The Ministry of Health reminds the public that there is no evidence of new local transmission in great Exuma, with concurrence by Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),” the release stated.
The Department of Public Health said that it welcomes any inquiries that members of the public might have, and if persons require additional information they should contact the department at 502-4846, 502-4740, or the Ministry of Health at 502-4700.
By PAUL TURNQUEST Tribune Staff Reporter
