A COMMONWEALTH GAMES athlete has been hospitalised and is in a serious condition after contracting a tropical disease in the lead up to the event.GOLDOC has confirmed a 23-year-old athlete was admitted to Gold Coast University Hospital yesterday suffering from malaria.
“The patient received immediate treatment for malaria on arrival at GCUH,” games organisers said in a statement to the Gold Coast Bulletin.
“The patient remains admitted to GCUH in a serious condition and continues to be closely monitored.”
GOLDOC said they could not say which country the athlete is from citing patient confidentiality.
However, there is no locally acquired malaria in mainland Australia which could suggest the affected athlete is from a visiting nation.
That is unless an Australian athlete had recently returned from a country that is home to the mosquito borne disease.
Malaria is caused by the bite of an infected mosquito often in tropical regions around the globe and is reportedly responsible for 900,000 deaths worldwide annually.
“We have robust treatments for malaria in this country,” GOLDOC said in a statement.
“Malaria is a serious infection spread by mosquitoes in some countries.
“There is no locally acquired malaria in mainland Australia.
Nicholas McElroy, Gold Coast Bulletin
Malaria Vaccine Project 