The Hindu : Indigenous malaria cases resurface at Valiathura

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Indigenous malaria cases resurface at Valiathura

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM June 17. After a lull of about six years, fresh cases of indigenous malaria have been reported from the coastal area of Valiathura, posing a new threat to the health scenario in the city.

Since January this year, 23 cases of indigenous malaria have been reported from Valiathura, according to the District Malaria Officer, R. Unnikrishnan. Of this, 11 cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria, four cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria and nine mixed cases were reported.

There were nine cases of reinfection and relapse and one case of imported malaria was also reported from the region, adding up to a total of 33 malaria cases in the region at present.

The disease-causing Anopheles mosquito, mainly Anopheles stephansii, which is the primary vector in urban areas, occurs in large numbers in the region, Mr. Unnikrishnan said. Another Anopheles species, Anopheles varuna, which is a secondary vector, was also found in the region.

The District Medical Officer, K. Shailaja, said an outbreak of malaria of epidemic proportions had occurred in Valiathura during the 1990's. Between 1994 and 1997, about 5000 cases of malaria had been reported from the region, out of which nine people died. The maximum number of cases (more than 2,000) was reported twice during the period.

Despite the reported eradication of malaria from Kerala in 1966, imported cases of malaria, brought by people who had been to malaria-prone areas, had been occurring in the State, the DMO said. Some of the infected people became asymptomatic careers and an outbreak occurred when conditions became favourable. If effective control measures are not taken immediately, an epidemic resulted.

According to the DMO, conditions exist in Valiathura, which are favourable to the proliferation of the mosquito species responsible for transmitting the disease. Health officials who have visited the area have identified shallow wells in the area as some of the primary breeding centres of the mosquito larvae.

Corporation's measures: Meanwhile, the City Corporation has stepped up the measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like dengue, malaria and viral fever. A meeting of the Secretariat health circle, which includes three wards, was held today with the Mayor, J. Chandra, in the chair. The Corporation Secretary, Health Officer and the ward councillors participated.

The Health Officer, Jayalakshmi, said the distribution of mosquito nets, power-spraying of large drains and awareness campaigns was on. Mosquito nets would be distributed with the help of the residents' associations.

Dr. Jayalakshmi said earth-movers would be pressed into service for the cleaning of drains and necessary instructions had been issued to the Councillors in this regard. For the cleaning of drains, volunteers would be paid Rs. 84 per day and five people would be employed per ward for a week.

The services of the Kudumbashree units would also be employed for the awareness and education campaign. The members would visit households to create awareness about the safety measures to be taken to prevent diseases like dengue fever, which is caused by a mosquito species that breeds in clean water.

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