From 15-29 July 2018, multidisciplinary health teams composed of doctors, nurses, public health surveillance officers, environmental health workers, laboratory specialists, epidemiologists, communication officers and volunteers, worked hand in hand to serve the 1,328 people who visited health clinics in Yap during the games, sparing no effort to monitor the athletes and public’s health and prevent disease transmission.
This dedicated team of health care workers was made up of experts from the Yap State Department of Health, the Pacific Community (SPC), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Federated States of Micronesia National Health Office.
One major public health concern managed by the team was a diarrhoea outbreak caused by the rotavirus, which had started in Yap a few weeks before the Games began. This could have been disastrous for the event, but thanks to the proactive measures taken in Yap the outbreak was mitigated.