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Malaria outbreak despite WHO malaria elimination certification?

28 Dec 2021

  • Threat of imported malaria spread, especially from travellers from Africa
  • Jaffna reports first case in four years
BY Pamodi Waravita The Ministry of Health’s Anti Malaria Campaign warned this week that there is a risk of the spread of the malaria virus in the country again, five years after the World Health Organisation (WHO) certified that malaria has been eliminated from Sri Lanka. Addressing a press conference at the Health Promotion Bureau (HPB) on Monday (27), Anti Malaria Campaign Director Dr. Prasad Ranaweera said: “Although malaria was eliminated from the country, every year we receive reports of cases from those travelling into the country from foreign countries. We have to detect these cases before the mosquitoes that can spread the virus detect them. This year, we have had reports of 25 cases, of which 24 were from travellers from African countries. Lower numbers of cases are a reason to worry as this means that we are missing cases which could be detected by the mosquitoes before us. “On 16 December, for the first time in four years for the district, a case was reported from the Jaffna District. One week later, on 23 December, another case was reported from the Jaffna District. When we inspected this patient’s house, we found that a mosquito that is capable of spreading the virus had been in the house. The patient had returned to Sri Lanka on 7 December, and so, for 16 days, he had been in the house with the said mosquito. Thus, it is very likely that the mosquito had discovered the patient before us.” Dr. Ranaweera noted that in previous years, cases of travellers with malaria were usually reported from the Western Province. He also said that in 2019, 253 cases were reported and in 2020, 35 cases were reported. Dr. Ranaweera further stressed: “Our local malaria officers and health officers are trying their best to ensure that malaria will not rise again in the country. If one district is at risk, the entire country is at risk. The Anti Malaria Campaign carried out mosquito suppression activities throughout last week. We are investigating to determine whether there are more malaria patients in hospitals in the (Jaffna) District. “This year, most reported cases are from travellers from the African region. So we are requesting all travellers who return from Africa from 1 January 2021 onwards to carry out blood tests in order to ensure their health. Come to the closest government hospital, your local malaria office, or to the head office to do a rapid diagnostic test (RDT), Malaria microscopy, and a PCR test for malaria.” He added that if any returnee traveller from any country with malaria is experiencing flu-like symptoms, they must inform their doctor that they were abroad. “There are also malaria prevention medicines which are recommended for travellers – to take one week before they travel abroad to a country with malaria and six weeks after they return. These are available free from the Ministry of Health. Please take these precautions,” he said. According to the Anti Malaria Campaign, the last death due to malaria was reported in Sri Lanka back in 2007.


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