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South Koreans, particularly those living close to the border with North Korea, should exercise extra caution this summer as the risk of malaria heightens, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Sunday.
It said mosquitoes carrying the malaria parasite will likely be more aggressively biting humans as large numbers of livestock, estimated at some 3.5 million, were culled and buried underground due to the nationwide foot-and-mouth disease epidemic last winter.
Mosquitoes usually attack cows, pigs and other domesticated animals in summer and spawn eggs in a pond and other stagnant waters.
According to the World Health Organization’s definition, malaria is caused by a parasite called plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes.
In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells. The patients suffer exhaustion, anemia and several other symptoms. They usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite.
“Humans normally can get infected with malaria from May through October when mosquitoes are active, mostly in areas close to the North Korean border. The number of infections has been on rise over the past few years and we worry that more people may get the disease this summer,” said a KCDC official, declining to be named.
She said mosquitoes become aggressive when the temperature and humidity rises as it’s ideal to spawn eggs, adding the insects could target more humans this year as there are a fewer number of livestock to prey upon, following the massive culling to counter the foot-and-mouth disease.
“We have designated Chulwon and other counties in Northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces as a danger zone for malaria, cautioning soldiers and residents there to pay extra caution. North Korea’s failure to control malaria over the years has also contributed to the unusually large number of infections in the vicinity of the borderline,” the official said.
The number of malaria patents here reached 1,772 in 2010, up from 1,345 in 2009 and 1,052 in 2008
KCDC said municipal administrations and other public health authorities have stepped up quarantine efforts in order to keep mosquitoes under control.
“Soldiers and residents in highly risky areas should refrain from going outside in the evening till dawn, as well as wear long sleeves and long trousers and avoid wearing the color black. The use of mosquito nets at all the time indoors and indoor residual spraying with insecticide are strongly encouraged,” KCDC said.
