This is a first for twenty years. Five cases of malaria contracted on American soil have been confirmed in Florida and Texas, alerted the health authorities of the United States. “All patients are on treatment and their condition is improving,” said the network of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States. He points out that the four cases that appeared in Florida (southeast) do not seem linked to the fifth case diagnosed in Texas (south).
Call launched in Florida to drain stagnant water
The health authorities are seeking to verify whether additional cases are declared and prophylactic measures have been taken, in particular on mosquitoes, vectors of malaria. In Florida, a call has been made in Sarasota and Manatee counties to drain standing water that is a breeding ground for mosquitoes and protect themselves from bites by wearing long pants and long sleeves.
Texas also released health advice after a resident working outdoors was diagnosed with malaria in Cameron, the only one in Texas so far. “Despite these cases, the risk of locally contracting malaria remains extremely low in the United States,” the CDC added.
Last case in 2003
The last local case of malaria in the United States dates back to 2003 when eight patients were identified in the famous county of Palm Beach in Florida, recalled the CDC. Most malaria cases in the United States are imported and occur in travelers returning from countries where transmission is endemic.
Malaria or malaria (another name for the disease) caused the death of 619,000 people worldwide in 2021, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization (WHO). It is caused by a tiny parasite of the genus Plasmodium, transmitted by mosquito bites, which causes fever, headaches and chills until it becomes a serious or even fatal condition if left untreated.
Nearly half of the world’s population lives in an area at risk and can contract malaria. The vast majority of cases and deaths occur in Africa.