April 26, 2022 is the 15th “National Malaria Day”. The theme of this year’s event is “Prevent the imported and re-transmitted malaria, and create a malaria-free world.” Malaria is one of the deadliest diseases in the world and is mainly transmitted through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. In the 1950s, the number of malaria cases and deaths in Guangdong Province was at the forefront of various infectious diseases. After nearly 70 years of offensive and defensive battles against malaria across generations of disease control workers across the country and the province, in 2021, my country passed the World Health Organization malaria elimination certification, and Guangdong achieved the goal of malaria elimination in 2019.
Hygiene posters from the 1960s.
Is malaria preventable?
The best way to prevent malaria is to prevent mosquito bites. When going to work or travel in malaria-endemic areas such as Africa and Southeast Asia, you need to prepare for personal protection and bring mosquito nets, repellents and other anti-mosquito items. Wear long clothes and trousers when outdoors, apply mosquito repellent on bare skin; use mosquito nets when sleeping and spray in bedrooms Insecticide or mosquito coil.
What are the symptoms of malaria?
What should I do if I’m sick?
A person infected with malaria usually begins with a fever, chills, and flu-like symptoms. If left untreated, malaria can lead to serious complications and, in some cases, fatality. Malaria symptoms appear 7 days or more after infection, usually 10-15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Early diagnosis and proper treatment can save lives. It is important to start treatment as soon as possible after contracting malaria. If you have been to a malaria-endemic area and have the above-mentioned symptoms, please seek medical attention in time and inform the doctor of your residence or travel history. The diagnosis can be confirmed by examining blood smears or rapid diagnostic test strips with a microscope to detect malaria parasites.
Malaria is a parasitic disease mainly transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes.
Please note for entry personnel
If you are in Africa, Southeast Asia and other malaria-endemic areas before entry
strong>Having a travel history, for your health, please do the following during the isolation medical observation:
1. If you have been infected with malaria in the past, or have taken anti-malarial drugs, please Proactively inform the medical staff in the isolation place;
2. If you have one of the above symptoms, especially fever and chills, please immediately contact the hotel staff , there will be medical staff to measure your body temperature and malaria screening test;
3. It is particularly emphasized that when you have fever symptoms, before the medical staff measures your temperature, cut Do not take any cooling measures, including taking various medicines.
Writing: Southern Metropolis reporter Wang Daobin correspondent Guangdong CDC