The captain of the ship carrying the patient with suspected Ebola was left hanging by Maltese authorities after he made the request to enter port, and this is why he decided to proceed towards Sicily after getting clearance from the Italian authorities, the company that manages the vessel told this newspaper.
On 17 September, the Maltese authorities received a request from the captain of the MV Western Copenhagen to dock in Malta after a Filipino on board needed urgent medical assistance. However, the company that manages the vessel told this newspaper that the captain decided to proceed to Italy, because the condition of the patient was critical, and the Maltese authorities had given him no instructions. Alisdair Smith, the managing director of SeaTeam Management, said: "We were told that clearance would need ministerial approval. The process was started but there was no clear indication of how long this would take.
"During the delay we sorted assistance from the Italian authorities who confirmed that the seaman could be landed. Given the critical condition of the patient we felt it prudent to proceed to Italy rather than wait off Malta indefinitely," Mr Smith told The Malta Independent.
In a press call on Thursday, 18 September, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that a cargo ship with a patient suspected to be infected with Ebola was barred from entering Malta. Dr Muscat said that the Maltese port authorities received a request from the captain of MV Western Copenhagen on Wednesday at 8pm. He said that at the time, the vessel was located 40 miles from Sicily, and 83 miles from Malta. The ship had been travelling from Guinea to Ukraine when it requested assistance. The captain first noticed the symptoms of the patient in question on Tuesday night. He sought advice from medical doctors who advised the captain to dock at the nearest port. The decision to refuse the ship from entering was taken by the Maltese authorities following consultations with medical and legal experts. An AFM boat was dispatched to shadow the ship and ensure it didn't enter Malta.
It was later revealed that the patient was not suffering from Ebola, but rather Malaria. With the assistance of Italian authorities, he was transferred to Modica hospital in Sicily. Mr Smith confirmed that his condition is now stable and improving.
Italy stages evacuation drill
Meanwhile, Italy staged an Ebola evacuation drill; even though authorities have insisted that the chances of Ebola spreading from Africa to Europe are very small. The virus only spreads by direct contact with infected blood or other bodily fluids. However, Italy may have to face the situation if an Italian doctor or missionary caring for patients in Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea travels back home for treatment. Although the risk runs low, EU health ministers have agreed that there is a need for improved coordination and more preventive measures, to better diagnose or treat suspected cases.
During a Mare Nostrum operation, one immigrant was flagged for suspected Ebola and airlifted in one of the self-contained mobile isolation units used for the simulation drill. The patient however turned out to have monkeypox, and not Ebola.
So far, Ebola is believed to have affected more than 5,800 people in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria and Senegal.