Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that infects a certain type of mosquito.
Limpopo is one of the provinces where malaria is rife, symptoms may only develop 10-14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Symptoms include flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, sweating, fatigue, myalgia (back and limbs), abdominal pain, diarrhoea, appetite loss, nausea and vomiting Earlier this year the South African Weather Service (SAWS) predicted above normal rainfall and also reiterated that malaria-endemic provinces (Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal) might experience an increase in changes in mosquito abundance, which might elevate malaria transmission.
“The public is advised to take preventative measures such as protecting against mosquito bites which include the use of mosquito bed nets, wearing of clothes that cover most of the body, and use of insect repellent on exposed skin is recommended. The belownormal maximum temperatures predicted across the country might reduce direct and indirect healthrelated effects that result from high maximum temperatures, however, the public is advised to take appropriate sun protection measures such as staying in the shades and wearing protective clothing, particularly at noon,” SAWS said in a statement.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NCID) said current focus on Covid-19 has led to malaria being missed. According to NCID, early symptoms of malaria and Covid-19 are similarly non-specific – fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle and joint pains; more severe signs and symptoms also shared between these infections, e.g. respiratory difficulties, including Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Also read: Malaria spike expected: How to stay safe
The institute reiterated that it is mandatory to check for malaria in all persons presenting fever and flu-like illness if they are residents in, or have travelled within the last six weeks from a malaria-risk area.
“Check regardless of suspected Covid-19 condition (pending Covid-19 tests or even a positive Covid-19 test) using a rapid diagnostic test or blood smear microscopy, and obtain results urgently,” the institute said in a statement.
Meanwhile the University of Pretoria (UP) has discovered new potent chemical compounds that show potential as candidates for both the treatment and elimination of malaria.
UP’s professor in Biochemistry and South African Research Chair in Sustainable Malaria Control, Professor Lyn-Marie Birkholtz, was part of an international team that published this discovery in the journal Nature Communications on 11 January.
Also read: Prevent malaria this summer
“The breakthrough involves the identification of unique compounds that are able to kill several stages of the malaria-causing parasite and can block the transmission of the parasite between humans and mosquitoes,” she explained.
Some of the precautionary measures one can take to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes include closing windows and doors and remaining indoors between dusk and dawn, use mosquito repellent on exposed skin, spray your accommodation with an aerosol insecticide or use mosquito coils, wear long-sleeved, light-coloured clothing, long trousers and socks, sleep under a net, ceiling fans and air conditioners are also effective in preventing mosquito bites.
