Colombia health authorities investigate Ebola after malaria deaths

The Colombian Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Health (INS) have activated epidemiological surveillance protocols in the Valle del Cauca department following two confirmed cases of malaria. The patients, who recently returned from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, were diagnosed with Plasmodium falciparum, the most aggressive variant of the parasite.

A 33-year-old man passed away at a hospital in Palmira on October 31. A second patient, aged 50, remains under medical care and strict isolation in Cali. Due to the patients' travel history to a region with active Ebola outbreaks and the presence of febrile symptoms, authorities are conducting specialized laboratory tests to rule out other high-priority public health threats, including the Ebola virus.

Field investigations are underway in Cali and Palmira to reconstruct the travelers' routes in Africa, identify potential exposures, and trace direct contacts. Health officials are also monitoring two additional individuals who reported having malaria and are currently undergoing treatment. Authorities have urged anyone who has traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and exhibits fever or general malaise to report their health status immediately.