(prensa.com) Health authorities in Panama have strengthened health measures as of late in an effort to prevent the entry and spread of cholera from Haiti, and are keeping close surveillance on a group of 500 Haitian tourists currently staying in the capital, reported an official source.
“If this [cholera] unfortunately comes to Panama, it will cause a huge expense to public health and the country, due to the impact that a breakout of this nature would have with the large number of hospitalizations and the great amount of medical attention required,” said Health Minister, Franklin Vergara.
Vergara went on to explain that prevention measures have been tightened upon the recent arrival in Panama of 1,700 Haitian tourists, 500 of which are currently residing in local hotels.
“We are monitoring two hotels to which [this group of tourists] has been sent, in order to keep close watch of where they are,” said the health minister, adding that the intention is to avoid a situation where, if any of the tourists brought the disease into the country, it becomes a larger problem.
The Ministry of Health has health centers throughout the country, however, as has been the case in other countries, staff could become scarce due to fatigue in the event of an emergency situation such as an outbreak of cholera, asserted Vergara.