In an update on the schistosomiasis situation in Myanmar, the Myanmar Ministry of Health and Sports reported (computer translated) over the weekend that there are now 828 suspected patients and 428 laboratory-confirmed patients diagnosed with the parasitic disease in the Rakhine state townships as of late August.
Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. These parasites are transmitted by snails that live in freshwater environments contaminated by Schistosoma eggs. Schistosomiasis affects both men and women who can pick up the infection from agricultural, domestic and occupational activities that expose them to infected water.
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