Kathmandu, September 20

Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Teku, has deployed a rapid response team to Bajura following reports of malaria outbreak in the district.

Apart from preventing spread of the disease, the team will also study the cause behind rapid increase in malaria cases.

As many as 44 malaria cases have been reported in the district in the last three months.  “These cases have been confirmed after rapid diagnostic and microscopic test.  There were only six cases of malaria till April 15.

The microscopic test was conducted to find out the species of the plasmodium. As the disease is caused by plasmodium vivax one shouldn’t worry much as the mortality rate is low,” said Dr Bibek Kumar Lal, chief at Vector Borne Disease Section, EDCD.

“Malaria cases are increasing in hilly areas because of global warming. As the temperatures have risen, vector-borne diseases are increasing. The disease therefore is not only limited to the Tarai. Migrants returning home from India also bring the disease with them,” added Dr Lal.

The government is working to eliminate malaria by 2025. To meet the government’s target of eliminating malaria, EDCD has been deploying rapid response teams for surveillance, detection and prevention of the disease in Kailali, Kanchanpur, Surkhet, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu and Dhanusha.

Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by plasmodium parasite. It is transmitted through the bite of the infected Anopheles mosquito. The symptoms of malaria include fever, sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting and body aches.

Anyone infected or having the above symptoms should immediately visit nearby health centres. Keeping the environment clean, wearing long-sleeved clothes, using nets and applying mosquito repellents, among others, can avoid mosquito bites.