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Malaria
Scare in George Town On June 16, the Center for Disease Control released the following statement regarding one of the most popular cruising destinations in the world: George Town, Bahamas. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently received official reports of 14 confirmed malaria cases in Great Exuma, Bahamas, an area where malaria transmission does not normally occur and for which antimalarial drugs have not previously been recommended. Thirteen cases occurred in residents of the Bahamas, and an additional malaria infection was confirmed in a U.S. citizen who traveled to Great Exuma in early May 2006. All these confirmed infections were caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Most of the patients reported no recent travel to malaria-endemic areas, but some of the Bahamas residents may have recently traveled from Haiti, where P. falciparum is endemic. |
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Malaria is not considered endemic on the islands of the Bahamas. The Ministry of Health in the Bahamas has responded with heightened surveillance for and treatment of malaria cases, mosquito control measures, and education of the local population. The Caribbean Epidemiology Center and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization are assisting the Ministry of Health with these response measures." A few days later, on June 20, the Miami Herald posted a news brief saying the the number of confirmed cases was up to 16. Fourteen were Bahamians, one was an American from Virginia, and the other was Canadian. According to the Herald, "Authorities in the Bahamas said Monday they would spray areas around the capital and on a southern island in the chain in a bid to contain a malaria outbreak that has sickened 16 people"
Even though the cases all seemed to come from Great Exuma, the Bahamian Government is planning to spray the area around Nassau as well as Exuma. The Center for Disease Control is recommending that anyone traveling to Exuma in the near future should see a doctor about the possibility of taking antimalarial drugs. Anyone who was in the Exuma area after May 1, 2006, and who experiences flu-like symptoms (fever, aches, nausea) should see a doctor immediately. This strain of malaria is known to be particularly serious, and patients can die within three days if they don't seek treatment. This news is particularly frightening for the cruising community. George Town is known far and wide as one of the best places to go for boaters who are traveling with children, and at times the small anchoring area in Elizabeth Harbor is packed with over 400 cruising sailboats. Kids play on the beach and parents enjoy cocktail hour on each other's boats, living an almost idyllic life. Most cruisers stay up-to-date on news and health issues by satellite communications, SSB Radio, and communications with other cruisers, but there is always that chance that news will slip through the cracks. Please make every effort to pass this information along to the cruising community. We sincerely hope that you and yours stay safe, happy and healthy. The following books are good additions to your boat's library: The Healthy Cruiser's Handbook The Ship Captain's Medical Guide The Merck Manual of Medical of Medical Information
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Malaria,
caused by a parasite carried by mosquitoes, kills over a million people
a year. It is common in parts of Africa and South and Central America,
and has also been a problem as close as Haiti. Bahamian officials think
that it may have been brought to the Bahamas by someone who recently traveled
from Haiti. 
