Rapid Increase in Malaria-Transmitting Mosquitoes... "Strengthened Quarantine and Prompt Diagnosis Needed"

It has been reported that the number of vector mosquitoes has increased in Incheon, northern Gyeonggi, and Gangwon regions, which are domestic malaria risk areas, prompting quarantine authorities to urge caution against infection.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 12th that this was confirmed through the '2023 Malaria Vector Mosquito Surveillance Project.'

According to the KDCA, monitoring the density of vector mosquitoes at 50 collection points within the risk areas showed that the daily average mosquito index (the average number of mosquitoes collected per night from one light trap) was 7.1 in the 25th week of this year (the third week of June), about five times higher compared to the average of the same period over the past five years (1.5 mosquitoes) and more than twice that of last year (3.5 mosquitoes). In the 26th week (the fourth week of June), it increased further to 9.2 mosquitoes.

Adult female Aedes albopictus mosquito (left) and larvae. [Photo by Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency]

Additionally, the proportion of malaria vector mosquitoes among the collected mosquitoes was 54% in the 25th week and 61.7% in the 26th week, which is twice and 1.2 times higher than the previous year, respectively. This increase in vector mosquitoes could raise the possibility of malaria transmission. In fact, the number of malaria cases up to the 26th week this year was 302, a 169.6% increase compared to the same period last year.

The KDCA is working with local governments to implement measures to suppress vector mosquito occurrence, such as eliminating larval habitats like puddles in risk areas and strengthening adult mosquito control around patient occurrence areas. Director Ji Young-mi emphasized, "Local governments in malaria risk areas should strengthen malaria vector mosquito control, and residents and visitors to these areas should practice personal preventive measures and promptly visit nearby health centers or medical institutions for diagnosis if suspicious symptoms occur."

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