Gyeonggi Province Issues First "Malaria Alert" of the Year in Paju City

On July 1, the Gyeonggi Provincial Government issued the first malaria alert of the year in Paju City.

A malaria alert is issued in order to prevent the spread of the disease within the local community when the first cluster case is identified after a nationwide malaria advisory has been announced, or when the average daily number of vector mosquitoes in the same city, county, or district exceeds 5.0 for two consecutive weeks.

This measure was taken following the occurrence of the first cluster case in Paju City after the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency issued a nationwide malaria advisory on June 20. A cluster case refers to a situation in which two or more patients in a malaria risk area develop symptoms within 14 days of each other and their residences are within 1 kilometer of one another.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Government plans to conduct an in-depth epidemiological investigation to identify the presumed infection area of the cluster case patients, the mosquito breeding environment in the area, residential inspections, co-exposed individuals, and risk factors.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

In Paju City, authorities have instructed that intensive public awareness campaigns be conducted through the local medical and pharmaceutical associations, safety text messages, and media outlets to inform residents and visitors of the risk of infection. In addition, authorities are actively implementing measures in response to the alert, including intensive control of areas around patients and mosquito breeding sites, rapid diagnostic testing for early detection, and provision of preventive medication.

Meanwhile, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's infectious disease portal, a total of 192 domestic malaria cases had been reported as of the end of June this year. Of these, 109 cases were in Gyeonggi Province, accounting for approximately 56.8% of the national total.

Yoo Youngcheol, Director of Health and Wellness at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, emphasized, "In malaria risk areas, vector mosquito control should be strengthened and preventive measures should be followed to avoid mosquito bites. In particular, residents or visitors to risk areas should promptly get tested at a nearby public health center or other medical institution if they develop suspected malaria symptoms."