• Ten more under observation

By Sarah Hannan For the year 2020, Sri Lanka has reported 20 imported cases of malaria with the latest patient incidents being reported form quarantine centres that are holding returnees under observation for Covid-19 infection. Speaking to The Morning, Anti-Malaria Campaign Acting Director Dr. Prasad Ranaweera noted that in the first five months of 2020 only 10 such patients were recorded, while in the last 10 days eight patients were discovered from the Pelwehera Quarantine Centre in Dambulla. “Most of these (patients) are returning migrant workers who have been employed in the African continent, along with two others who had gone to India for a pilgrimage 10 months ago residing in Kalawana and Monaragala. Our unit is now looking into carrying out detection tests for the rest of the persons in quarantine who were potentially exposed to a malaria-infected mosquito that could have bitten the patients who were identified at the centre,” Dr. Ranaweera noted. Ten immediate acquaintances of the malaria patients have already been recognised and they are to undergo the malaria blood test, hopefully, on 11 July after they complete their quarantine period for possible Covid-19 infection. Dr. Ranaweera also stressed the importance of preventing malaria from being reintroduced to the society. Therefore, should the 10 persons test positive for malaria, the rest of the persons who were at the quarantine centre too would have to be tested for malaria.