3 new cases of malaria confirmed; total number of patients at five

Two cases of malaria were confirmed by the health department in May.

Three cases of malaria have been confirmed this month, according to the district health department, taking the total number of cases of the vector-borne disease to five so far this year. Two cases of malaria were confirmed by the health department in May.

Three cases of malaria have been confirmed this month, according to the district health department, taking the total number of cases of the vector-borne disease to five so far this year.(Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)

According to health officials, all the reported cases were those of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite, transmitted through the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. However, no deaths were reported, as treatment was started within 24 hours of confirmation of each case, said officials.

Meanwhile, 25 suspected cases of the dengue hemorrhagic fever have been reported so far this year, as per health department data. A case of dengue is suspected, but not ‘confirmed’, when the blood slide of the patient can’t be tested through a specialised blood test, called the IgM-based ELISA test, by the health department. All suspected cases of dengue have to be confirmed by the department.

Officials said whenever a case of malaria is reported from an area, blood samples are collected from neighbouring houses and sent to the laboratory. “Moreover, fogging and anti-larval activities are carried out in the patient’s house,” said Dr Jai Bhagwan Jatain, district malaria officer, adding that this year, the number of workers in the surveillance team was increased by more than a dozen to 60. He added that mass awareness campaigns have begun in schools and village panchayats.

Experts said cases of dengue and malaria are expected to rise during the monsoon, and that people shouldn’t store water in pots and coolers to avoid breeding of mosquitoes.