Malaria case in Olbia

A case of malaria has been recorded in Olbia, where a 40-year-old male businessperson is currently hospitalised at the city’s Giovanni Paolo II hospital. The patient, who had recently returned from a trip to Zanzibar, was admitted in critical condition. He is currently in an unconscious state in the intensive care unit. As indicated on the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs ‘Viaggiare Sicuri’ website, the incidence of malaria in the Zanzibar archipelago is relatively low, therefore the administration of a malaria vaccine is not a mandatory requirement. Italian Health protocols require that, upon returning to Italy, individuals should notify their physician or the relevant local health authorities in the event of experiencing symptoms associated with fever. Malaria was endemic in Sardinia until 70 years ago, resulting in thousands of deaths. Following a lengthy and arduous campaign from 1946 to 1951, the island was finally liberated from the scourge of disease.