PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands — Authorities in the Turks and Caicos Islands are mobilising resources to investigate and contain a situation that has seen an increase in diarrhoea and vomiting in some resorts on Providenciales.
The Ministry of Health, Environmental Health Department, TCI Health Surveillance Team, Hotel Association and Tourist Board are working together to address this situation and to ensure that there is little or no disruption to residents, visitors and to business locally and overseas.
Public health teams are assessing, identifying and reporting on the situation utilizing Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) and Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) guidelines. Their top priority is to protect the public as well as the tourism industry from any further illness by containing any outbreak.
Public health professionals are working with hoteliers to gather data on the number of cases and to determine if there is any common cause. Samples have already been sent to a laboratory for investigation in the US and results are currently awaited. As a precaution, refresher hygiene training courses for all hotel staff are being arranged.
Those persons experiencing diarrhoea, abdominal pain or vomiting should report to their nearest health care facility. The health surveillance team may also need to interview any person experiencing such signs and symptoms in order to help pinpoint the source of the outbreak. Information will be kept confidential; however, updates on the number of cases will be released as soon as they are confirmed.
The Ministry of Health and Education (MOHE) has encouraged the general public to practice healthy hygienic measures at all times such as frequent hand washing, especially when preparing meals, before eating and after using the toilet. The MOHE will keep the public up to date on any further developments.
The Tourist Board has reassured travellers that the TCI remains a safe place to visit.
