DOH probes reported malaria cases in Apayao

By Redjie Melvic Cawis

BAGUIO CITY--The Department of Health-Cordillera Administrative Region is now investigating suspected cases of malaria in the province. DOH assistant regional director Dr. Amelita Pangilinan said they received report from the Provincial Health Office of Apayao about the increasing number of suspected malaria cases.

At least 10 suspected cases of malaria were reported from  hospitals in the area. 

She said what makes the case alarming is that Apayao has not recorded malaria cases the past two years.

Earlier this year, during the observance of the World Malaria Day, the DOH declared they are moving towards the target of making Cordillera a malaria-free region.

A city, municipality, province or region is declared malaria-free if no local transmission is recorded in five consecutive years such as Baguio City and Benguet which were already declared as malaria-free. Abra  will follow suit if no case will be recorded this 2014.

Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite called plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected anopheles mosquitoes, or from mother to child in the womb, or blood transfusion. Symptoms include fever, shivers, sweating, backache, joint pains, headache, vomiting, diarrhea and sometimes delirium.

For the DOH advocacy campaign on malaria prevention and control, DOH had been distributing insecticide-treated mosquito nets to endemic areas and continuously campaigning for the regular cleaning of surroundings, especially of possible mosquito breeding sites.