Malaria Alert in Gimpo Following Paju

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

Gyeonggi Province issued a malaria alert for Gimpo City on the 25th, following the alert for Paju City on the 18th.

The malaria alert is issued to prevent community outbreaks when the first cluster case occurs after a nationwide malaria advisory has been issued, or when the average daily number of vector mosquitoes in the same city or county is 5.0 or higher for two consecutive weeks.

This alert was issued in response to the first cluster case occurring in Gimpo City.

A cluster case refers to two or more patients within a malaria risk area who develop symptoms within 14 days of each other and live within 1 km of each other.

Gyeonggi Province plans to conduct an in-depth epidemiological investigation to identify the estimated infection area of the cluster case patients, mosquito habitats in the area, residences, common exposure groups, and risk factors.

To detect additional cases in Gimpo City, Gyeonggi Province has instructed local medical and pharmaceutical associations to conduct focused publicity and has asked media outlets to inform residents and visitors of Gimpo City about the possibility of infection. Furthermore, measures such as intensive mosquito control around patients and vector mosquito habitats, rapid diagnostic testing for early detection, and provision of preventive medication are being actively implemented as part of the alert response.

Meanwhile, as of the 24th, a total of 183 domestic malaria cases have been reported this year according to provisional infectious disease statistics from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Gyeonggi Province accounts for 109 cases, approximately 60% of the national total.