Every year on April 25, the world recognizes and brings awareness to malaria. World Malaria Day is intended to help showcase the widespread global efforts to control and eliminate the disease.
What is Malaria and How Are People Infected?
Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease. It is transmitted by a parasite that commonly infects a certain type of female mosquito and is transferred to humans through the bites of those infected mosquitoes.
How Common is Malaria and Where Does It Occur?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly half of the world’s population is at risk of malaria. In 2017, an estimated 219 million cases of malaria were reported across 90 countries and the death toll reached 435,000, making the disease the 5th ranked cause of death worldwide. Africa has the highest risk, recording 93% of malaria-related deaths. Other regions at risk include Asia, South America and parts of the Caribbean. For more details on where malaria occurs, check the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/ malaria/about/distribution.html.
Can Malaria Be Prevented?
Yes, malaria can be prevented by taking antimalarial drugs and avoiding mosquito bites. Visit your primary health care physician 4 to 6 weeks prior to your departure to get all the immunizations necessary for your destination and a prescription for the antimalarial drug. You’ll have to follow your intake schedule strictly without missing any doses. For more information regarding the prevention drugs available, visit the CDC’s Drug Table at www.cdc.gov/ malaria/travelers/drugs.html.
In some countries, drugs sold may be counterfeit or of poor quality. Therefore, we suggest buying all the medications you will need for your trip before you leave your home country. Also, note the name of the medication and its manufacturer in case you lose your medicine. Unfortunately, no drug guarantees 100% protection against malaria and treatment must be combined with mosquito bite prevention measures such as applying insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants and sleeping under an insecticide-treated mosquito net.