A 40-year-old male presents with fever, jaundice, and dark-colored urine. He returned from a trip to a malaria-endemic area two weeks ago. What could be the potential diagnosis and next steps?
This patient's symptoms and travel history could indicate severe malaria, possibly complicated by hemolysis, which is causing his jaundice and dark-colored urine. It's critical to immediately perform a blood smear and/or RDT to diagnose malaria. If confirmed, this is a medical emergency. The patient should be admitted to the hospital for parenteral antimalarial treatment and supportive care.