As malaria toll rises, docs try to understand new symptoms

A 65 year old man from Kalachowkie died of malaria at Nair Hospital on Tuesday. Public hospitals have recorded one malaria death for four consecutive days since August 1. HT reports

A 65 year old man from Kalachowkie died of malaria at Nair Hospital on Tuesday. Public hospitals have recorded one malaria death for four consecutive days since August 1.

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Many of the malaria patients who have died this monsoon were suffering from the vivax strain of the parasite.

Doctors have been perplexed as vivax used to be considered the milder strain as opposed to falciparum, which could cause life threatening complications.

A workshop has been organised at KEM Hospital on Friday to help doctors understand changes in the disease pattern, new symptoms and familiarise them with drugs available.

Dr Neena Valecha, senior scientist at the National Institute of Malaria Research in Delhi, will talk to doctors who attend the workshop.

“All junior and senior doctors, including professors, from KEM, Nair and Sion have been invited for the workshop,” said Dr Sanjay Oak, dean of KEM and director of major BMC hospitals. On Wednesday alone, 219 people tested positive for malaria in public hospitals, taking the total number of malaria cases recorded in August to 774.