Malaria Threat on Great Exuma Subsides, Bahamas Gov't. Says

An outbreak of malaria on the Bahamas' Great Exuma island has subsided, with no new cases reported in three successive incubation periods, the Bahamas Ministry of Health and National Insurance says.

The outbreak began in June, and eventually totaled 19 confirmed cases of the tropical disease. All were successfully treated.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory on June 16 recommending travelers to Great Exuma to take a dose of chloroquine. That advisory remains in effect, but Bahamas health officials say the need for such a precaution has passed.

"We are confident that this minor outbreak has been halted and that malaria poses no further risk to the residents of Great Exuma or visitors to the island," says Dr. Baldwin Carey of the Bahamas Ministry of Health. "While the CDC has not removed its advisory regarding preventive measures from its website, the recommendations are temporary and we have every confidence that the CDC will withdraw this in the near future."

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