Dr. Nikkiah Forbes: “We Want to Avoid Panic, the Risk to the Public is Very Low”

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NASSAU , BAHAMAS – The Ministry of Health’s highly anticipated press briefing was scheduled for 6:30 Friday evening, but as the media anxiously waited for answers, the update did not begin until more than two hours later.

By that time, social media was already filled with speculation of a possible Ebola case in the country.

Health officials confirmed that concerns were raised after a British Airways flight arrived at LPIA with two passengers, who had a recent travel history to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia.

Senior Medical Officer Dr. Jillian Bartlett said that The Bahamas was alerted through international health partners even before the flight touched down.

Dr. Jillian Bartlett – Senior Medical Officer, Ministry of Health

“So I think from our partners, we would have gotten this information through our intercoal partners that there were two passengers on board the flight that were traveling from Africa. So The Bahamas was then alerted to these two passengers. Once alerted, then, of course, we were strong in the action on our end to ensure that all the necessary protocols were in place once the plane would have arrived in The Bahamas.”

Out of the 218 passengers and crew members on board, two individuals were flagged after presenting with low-grade fevers of 101.5 and 99 degrees.

The passengers were immediately taken into isolation inside a special isolation unit at LPIA, while health officials began enhanced surveillance and contact tracing of those seated near them.

Head of Infectious Diseases Dr. Nikkiah Forbes said the response was swift, calculated and followed international health guidelines.

Dr. Nikkiah Forbes – Head of Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Health

“We did have the opportunity to do our enhanced surveillance measures with the surveillance unit. We took additional information from those travelers. We screened them. Other than fever, they have no other additional symptoms at this time. And so we have also followed the international guidelines that should be applied in situations like this, where we did screen the other passengers. And while we are in the process of monitoring the two passengers with fever, we have put in place recommendations for other passengers on the plane. And so at this time, even in certain scenarios, the entire fleet of passengers would not need to have any additional screening test or anything at this time.”

Bartlett also revealed what officials know about the passengers.

Dr. Jillian Bartlett – Senior Medical Officer, Ministry of Health

“They are pilots by profession and they did cargo flights, so they were not in direct contact with anybody. They would have been in the DRC, state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but they were in a very, what we call an area that do not have active cases of what you just referenced to be Ebola. So they would have just gone direct, dropped their cargo and back. So they had no contact with anybody and they were in really the low-risk areas of the DRC.”

Dr. Nikkiah Forbes – Head of Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Health

“To be clear, it’s very difficult now at this time for what we know in the finite to make an extrapolation on what we might have to do with information we don’t have yet. So it really depends. We are monitoring the situation closely. These travelers that do have fever, we will see how they are doing in the ensuing few days, and we will activate and do any testing that is needed. But if it turns out to be something like a sore throat or a cold, then there would be no additional reasons for enhanced procedures. And so we have to work with what we know. And I want to be clear, we want to avoid a panic.”

Officials ended the briefing urging the public to remain calm, stressing that while the situation is serious, the risk to the general public remains low.

Dr. Nikkiah Forbes – Head of Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Health

“The risk to the public is low. We have two passengers with fever and a travel history that we have flagged. Out of an overabundance of caution, we have operationalized our port surveillance and health protocols.”

Dr. Nikkiah Forbes – Head of Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Health

“They are in isolation and they have tested positive for no infectious disease at this time.”