One case of leprosy has been confirmed by health officials in Barbados, who have assured the public that there is no need to panic.
The island’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Arthur Phillips said the case is being treated, and that they are coming to the end of their treatment.
The last time a case of leprosy was confirmed in Barbados was in 2022, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
According to Loop News, the rare disfiguring disease that was once the scourge of life in Barbados 100 years ago, required sufferers to be isolated in a purpose-built leper colony.
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. The disease affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes.
