"Warning for Malaria Outbreak Areas Including Demilitarized Zone Border Regions from May to October"

KDCA Advises Immediate Medical Visit Upon Suspected Symptoms Like Fever and Chills

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] As the season when mosquitoes become active approaches, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency urged residents in domestic malaria-prone areas, travelers, and visitors to countries with malaria outbreaks abroad to adhere to preventive measures on the 24th.

Malaria is a representative mosquito-borne disease transmitted when a person is bitten by a mosquito infected with Plasmodium parasites. As of 2020, approximately 241 million new cases occurred in 85 countries, resulting in about 627,000 deaths.

Korea is included among the countries targeted for malaria eradication by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is currently implementing the "Five-Year Malaria Re-eradication Plan (2019?2023)" aiming for WHO malaria eradication certification.

Recently, the number of domestic malaria patients has been around 300 annually. The number of domestic infections was 559 in 2019, decreasing to 385 in 2020 and further to 293 last year. Among the 293 infected last year, 272 were infected domestically, and the remaining 21 were imported cases.

The malaria that mainly occurs domestically is the indigenous Plasmodium vivax malaria. The border areas near the Demilitarized Zone in northern Incheon, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon provinces are considered high-incidence regions, with over 90% of cases occurring between May and October when mosquitoes are most active.

Imported cases mostly involve Plasmodium falciparum malaria, which has a poor treatment prognosis, and are brought in from Africa and Southeast Asia. The average annual number of imported cases was about 70, but due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, it sharply decreased to 21 last year.

For prevention, those living in or traveling near malaria-prone areas should take care to avoid mosquito bites. Additionally, from May to October, when mosquitoes are active, it is advisable to refrain from outdoor activities such as camping or fishing at night (10 PM to 4 AM). Wearing long sleeves and long pants when going outside is recommended, and using mosquito nets when sleeping outdoors can be helpful.

When traveling to countries at risk of malaria, it is important to consult a doctor and take appropriate prophylactic medication in advance. If symptoms such as fever, chills, or headache appear after visiting domestic or international malaria-prone areas, one should immediately visit the nearest medical institution or public health center for diagnosis and treatment.

Jung Eun-kyung, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, urged, "Those living in or visiting malaria-prone areas should follow malaria infection prevention guidelines and visit medical institutions immediately if malaria-suspected symptoms occur."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.