By NewsDesk @bactiman63
The Laos Ministry of Health has reported more than 5,600 malaria cases in 2019, a significant decrease from 2018, according to a Vientiane Times report. No deaths have been reported.
In 2018, there were 8,084 malaria cases nationwide, including six deaths, a 30.73 percent reduction compared to 2018.
Malaria prevention and control is a priority of the Ministry of Health with a substantial budget allocated to undertake control activities against mosquitos that spread malaria.
Last year, health officials focused their efforts on malaria prevention and to control, surveillance, analysis, and health education campaigns in at-risk provinces.
Dr Viengxay Vanisaveth said “This year we have successfully carried out many activities under the strategy to prevent and control malaria infection, especially the effective diagnosis and treatment of patients in rural communities who have received early treatment.
“We also ran health education campaigns in the targeted villages reducing malaria, and no deaths were recorded this year,” he said.
Earlier this month, the World Health Organization released the World Malaria Report that showed number of malaria infections recorded globally has fallen for the first time in several years.
WHO estimates that there were 228 million reported cases in 2018, a decrease of around 3 million from the previous year.
In particular, the drop can be attributed in large part to fewer cases in southeast Asia, specifically–countries across the Mekong River basin — Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
From 2010 to 2018, malaria cases dropped by 76% in these countries, and malaria-related deaths fell by 95%.
Syphilis in Japan: 2nd year reporting more than 6000 cases
Malaysia: The polio outbreak in Sabah one week later
African Swine Fever in Asia: Indonesia is the latest country to report an outbreak
