NASSAU, Bahamas -- The Ministry of Health is acutely aware of the situation regarding the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) situation globally and would like to take this opportunity to again address and update the Bahamian people regarding the topic.
The current Ebola outbreaks in West and Central Africa started in December of 2013 with the World Health Organization being made aware of the gravity of the situation in March of 2014. A total of 8470 confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have been reported in eight affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Spain, and the United States of America) up to the 10th October. There have been 4076 deaths.
On 30 September 2014, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) was informed of the first confirmed imported case of EVD in the United States.The patient passed away on 8 October. On 6 October 2014, WHO was informed of the first confirmed case of human-to-human transmission of EVD in Spain, after a health care worker (HCW) tested positive for EVD after treating a patient who had been repatriated from West Africa. This case represented the first human-to-human transmission of EVD outside of Africa. Most recently we have been informed of a second case of human-to-human transmission of EVD, this time in the United States in a health care worker caring for the imported case of EVD there.
Again, this course of events has been of particular interest to the Bahamas because of the volume of travelers to our islands, and the travel of our residents throughout the globe and returning to our shores. The Ministry of Health began spearheading the nation's preparation and response to Ebola months prior to its introduction to our hemisphere. Stakeholder groupings were gathered to assess the readiness of the health sector (public and private) for an encounter with Ebola. After assessment, definitive plans and actions for improving the system readiness were enacted, including procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), defining reporting structures and mechanisms, establishing linkages with international organizations and testing facilities, training of personnel in relevant recognition and treatment protocols, among other actions.

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