A mosquito. (Photo/huffingtonpost.com).
The country is currently grappling with an outbreak of malaria which has since claimed over 70 lives.While much of the infections could largely be linked to the widespread presence of mosquitoes coupled with their favorite humid weather, ignorance of basic information equally plays a major role in the spread.
Here are some unique facts that you probably didn't know about malaria.
Malaria is a fatal disease that is spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes which have been infected by a Plasmodium parasite. The disease is spread when mosquitoes feed on human blood.
Malaria breeds mostly in warmer climates, where there is an abundance of humidity and rain.
Malaria exists in 103 countries worldwide, affecting 3.3. billion people, but about 90% of malaria-related deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. The majority of those affected are children under the age of five. Common side effects of malaria are high fever, chills, headache, and other flu-like symptoms. Severe illness and death can normally be avoided if the disease is properly treated.
An infected person may start feeling symptoms anywhere from a week to a month after they are bitten. With some rarer forms of Malaria, the parasite remains dormant and an infected person will not become ill for up to 4 years.
Pregnant women are extremely vulnerable to malaria. If the disease is contracted during pregnancy, it can be passed to the infant or result in low birth weight, which decreases the baby’s chance of survival.
Travelers coming from areas without malaria often have no immunity and are very vulnerable to the illness.