Good rains and hot, humid conditions have fuelled a surge in malaria cases in 2017, after 2016’s drought led to a low number of cases reported to the National Institutes for Communicable Diseases (NICD). There were 9,478 cases of malaria identified in SA during the year to March 31, an almost 50% increase on the 6,375 cases reported in 2016, the NICD announced last week. Just under half the recent cases (4,328) were caused by local transmission, as weather and a suboptimal household spraying programme in Limpopo combined to potentially deadly effect. In 2016, there were only 1,633 locally transmitted cases. In 2016-17 a total of 76 deaths were reported compared with 58 the year before. While these numbers pale in comparison with those of 2000, when SA had 64,500 cases and 460 deaths, malaria remained a serious public health threat as it could easily rebound if control programmes fell short, the NICD’s deputy director, Lucille Blumberg, warned. "You can’t ever let go of malaria," she...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.