Korea issues nationwide malaria alert after infected mosquitoes detected

Malaria-positive mosquitoes have been detected, prompting a nationwide malaria alert.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on Tuesday that it has issued a nationwide malaria alert following the confirmation of Plasmodium vivax infection in malaria-carrying mosquitoes collected during the 31st week (July 27–Aug. 2) in malaria-risk areas.

The KDCA collaborates with the Ministry of National Defense and local governments to conduct malaria vector mosquito surveillance through the Malaria Vector Mosquito Surveillance Program, monitoring population changes and infection rates in high-risk areas from April to October each year.

This year, the cumulative average daily mosquito population decreased by 54.4 percent compared to the previous year. However, following heavy rainfall in the 29th week, mosquito density increased, reaching 46.9 percent higher than the average for the same period in previous years and 24.1 percent higher than the same period last year by the 31st week.

Accordingly, the KDCA issued a nationwide warning on June 20 due to an increase in mosquito populations. As of Aug. 13, alerts were issued for eight regions due to the occurrence of clusters and an increase in mosquito populations. Currently, alerts have been issued nationwide following the confirmation of malaria-positive mosquitoes.

According to the KDCA, as of Aug. 13, there were 373 malaria patients in the country, a decrease of 18.8 percent compared to 443 cases during the same period last year.

A malaria cluster case refers to a situation where two or more patients with malaria symptoms occur within 14 days of each other in a high-risk area, with the distance between their residences being within one kilometer. Sixteen cases have been reported this year, a decrease from 22 cases during the same period last year.

“As the parasite has been confirmed in malaria-carrying mosquitoes and the number of mosquitoes is increasing, the risk of patients developing the disease is high,” KDCA Commissioner Lim Seung-kwan said. “Local governments in high-risk areas should strengthen mosquito control measures, and residents and visitors in high-risk areas should follow preventive measures to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.”