Yeongdeungpo-gu Public Health Center Free Malaria Testing

From 9 AM to 5:30 PM on weekdays, visit the old health center 2nd floor with ID
Prevent infectious disease spread through early diagnosis using rapid diagnostic kits
Actively promote malaria prevention guidelines and conduct focused mosquito habitat disinfection

Mosquito Larvae Habitat Septic Tank Insecticide Disinfection

Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) Public Health Center announced that it will provide free rapid diagnostic testing for malaria patients starting August 1st to detect cases early and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Malaria is a third-class legally designated infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Symptoms such as chills, fever, sweating, and vomiting appear in 48-hour cycles after infection. It has mainly occurred in areas near the Demilitarized Zone such as northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, but recently cases have also been reported in Seoul, leading to two malaria alerts being issued within the city.

In response, the district is conducting free testing using rapid diagnostic kits to alleviate residents' concerns about malaria, enable early diagnosis, and prevent further spread. Malaria infection can be confirmed within 30 minutes through fingertip blood collection, and if the test result is positive, continuous management is provided by linking with medical institutions capable of confirmatory diagnosis.

The test is available to residents exhibiting suspected malaria symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, fatigue, nausea, or diarrhea. Residents should bring their ID and visit the Yeongdeungpo-gu Public Health Center’s primary examination room (2nd floor) for registration. Testing is available on weekdays from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM (excluding lunch break from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM).

Malaria is a curable infectious disease with rapid diagnosis and treatment. The district encourages residents to undergo prompt diagnostic testing if symptoms occur and actively promotes preventive measures.

Preventive measures include avoiding nighttime outings during peak mosquito activity from April to October, showering after outdoor activities, wearing light-colored long clothing, and using repellents and insecticides approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

Meanwhile, since May, the district has been operating a pest control system including ▲279 eco-friendly insect-attracting insecticides installed in parks and retention basins ▲25 Digital Mosquito Sensors (DMS) ▲3 light traps. Additionally, a mosquito control task force composed of public and private sectors is working to ensure thorough pest control. Any resident can request individual pest control disinfection through the 120 Dasan Call Center or the district public health center.

Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, “We will continue to do our best to prevent the spread of malaria through proactive pest control and rapid early diagnosis of patients. We ask residents to follow preventive measures and visit public health centers or medical institutions immediately if suspicious symptoms occur for testing.”

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