As long as there was no case of a mistaken identity, the Filipino sailor who fell sick on the Hong Kong-registered ship Western Copenhagen and who was refused acceptance in Malta was not sick with Ebola but with a form of hepatitis with jaundice.

This was affirmed by Maurizio Arico’, the head of the Ragusa health authority who examined the sailor when he was brought to land in Pozzallo after the refusal by the Maltese government.

The sailor was seen descending from the ship and hurrying to the ambulance that was awaiting him. He was then taken to the Ospedale Maggiore of Ragusa where he is still being kept in the infectious disease section.

As stated by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on Thursday, Malta had taken the decision solely on what the ship’s commandant had said, without sending a doctor to examine the sailor.

It was through what the Maltese newsmedia said that Italians came to know that a suspect case of Ebola had reached the shores of Sicily and there were many adverse comments blaming the Italian government for not informing the population.

However, the same Italian websites that have now said the sailor had a form of hepatitis with jaundice are also adding it seems there is another sick sailor on board of the ship but he has not been brought ashore.

This newsroom spent the better part of yesterday trying to get a reaction from the OPM Communications Co-Ordinator, to no success.

The infection had changed the sailor’s skin to yellow.