US reports local malaria cases for first time in 20 years as EU warns about mosquito-borne illness
June 27, 2023 -European health officials warned last week that warming temperatures are creating “more favourable conditions” for the spread of invasive mosquito species that can carry diseases.
US health authorities have issued a warning about malaria after two states reported locally acquired cases of the disease for the first time in two decades.
There have been four reported cases of malaria in Florida and one case in Texas, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in the health alert.
Malaria is a serious and potentially life-threatening disease that is transmitted by some types of mosquitoes.
There were an estimated 247 million cases globally in 2021 with 95 per cent occurring in Africa, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Mild symptoms of malaria can include fever, chills and headache while more severe symptoms can include seizures, fatigue, and difficulty breathing.
“Mosquito surveillance and control measures have been implemented in the affected area,” the CDC said in a statement.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were around 2,000 cases of malaria reported in the US each year, most of which were travel related.
