In November and for the 11 first months of 2009, malaria indincators increased against the last year's period, but no epidemic occurance. This has been great effort of provinces in central region in malaria control by the influences of the Ketsana and the Mirenae typhoon.
Malaria situation in Central Vietnam in November 2009 against the same period of 2008
According to the statistics of November 2009, malaria situation in Central Vietnam continnued to increase against the same period of last year.
Malaria morbidity
Malaria morbidity in the whole region, as compared with the same period of 2009, increased by 12.86% (2,720/2,410 cases), with the Central Coastal area 5.19% lower, the West Highlands 33.72% up.
- 9/15 provinces had higher malaria morbidity, including Thua Thien-Hue (130%), Phu Yen (77.17%), Dak Lak (62.40%), Binh Thuan (62.22%), Gia Lai (46.63%), Binh Dinh (43.24%), Kon Tum (26.83%), Quang Nam (11.97%), Quang Tri (1.08%).
- 5/15 provinces had lower malaria morbidity, including Quang Binh (45.49%), Dak Nong (32.81%), Quang Ngai (35.59%), Ninh Thuan (22.87%) and Khanh Hoa (11.67%).
Malaria Parasites
The whole region reported a 37.15% higher in the number of malaria parasites, including 27.28% higher in coastal area and 23.56% up in the West-Highlands.
- The malaria parasite rates in the whole region, as compared with the same period of 2008, increased by 37.15% (1.69/1.23), with the Central Coastal area 27.28% higher, the West Highlands 43.54% up.
- 12/15 provinces with increased rates of malaria parasites included Quang Ngai (634.60%), Kon Tum (306.86%), Thua Thien-Hue (200%), Binh Thuan (140.27%), Phu Yen (138.14%), Da Nang city (105.68%), Dak Nong (88.40%), Dak Lak (44.66%), Binh Dinh (25.28%), Quang Nam (17.05%), Khanh Hoa (16.42%) and Gia Lai (13.75%).
- 3/15 provinces with decreased rates of malaria parasites included Quang Binh (45.49%), Quang Tri (27.79%) and Ninh Thuan (21.73%).
Severve and complicated malaria
There were 15 cases reported, decreasing 28.57% compared with the same period of last year, with the Central Coastal area 44.44% lower and the West Highlands 16.67% down. However, some provinces with high severe and complicated cases were Dak Lak, Gia Lai and Ninh Thuan.
In November 2009, the whole region reported 2 deaths from malaria in Khanh Hoa and Ninh Thuan, 60% lower than the same period of 2008.
Malaria situation in 11 first months of 2009 against the same period of 2008
Malaria morbidity
The whole region reported a 13.80% (20,242/17,788) higher in the number of malaria cases, including the Central Coastal area 5.55% higher and the West Highlands 25.73% up.
- 7/15 provinces with increased rates of malaria cases included Gia Lai (+76.14%), Binh Thuan (+71.79%), Phu Yen (+69.51%), Dak Lak (+29.37%), Binh Dinh (+26.29%), Quang Tri (+20.66%) and Quang Nam (+8.85%).
- 8/15 provinces with decreased rates of malaria patients included Quang Binh (19.61%), Quang Ngai (16.62%), Da Nang city (14.71%), Kon Tum (11%), Thua Thien-Hue (8.44%), Dak Nong (6.11%), Ninh Thuan (0.40%) and Khanh Hoa (0.04%).
Malaria parasites
The whole region reported 50% higher, composed by higher rates of 36.12% and 77.41% in the coastal area and the West-highlands, respectively.
- 13/15 provinces with increased rates of malaria parasites included Quang Ngai (290.95%), Phu Yen (159.76%), Binh Thuan (111.91%), Gia Lai (91.88%), Dak Lak (83.14%), Khanh Hoa (72.25%), Kon Tum (68.69%), Quang Nam (40.14%), Binh Dinh (34.99%), Dak Nong (23.36%), Quang Tri (3.84%), Thua Thien Hue (2.56%) and Ninh Thuan (1.86%).
- 2/15 provinces with decreased rates of malaria parasites included Quang Binh (28.88%) and Da Nang city (22.65%).
Severe and complicated malaria
The whole region had 108/80 severe malaria cases, increasing by 35% compared with the same period, of which the Central Coastal area had 64/49 cases (+30.61%) and the West Highlands had 44/31 cases (+41.94%).
Malaria deaths:
The whole region reported 15 deaths from malaria, 7.14% higher against the same period last year, of which the Central Coastal area had 8 deaths, ie. 3 cases or 60% higher and the West Highlands had 7 cases, 2 cases or 22.22% lower. The provinces having malaria deaths included Gia Lai (3), Phu Yen (3), Ninh Thuan (2), Dak Lak (2), 1 case each in the following provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Khanh Hoa, Kon Tum and Dak Nong.
Evaluation of malaria situation in November and the first 11 months of 2009
In November and the first 11 months of 2009, the morbidity rate of the whole region increased against the same period of last year, which coincided with the prediction of IMPE-Quy Nhon and the Department of Preventive Medicine and Environment (MoH). It should be noted that in provinces with increased malaria indexes, there increased numbers of malaria morbidity and parasite rates. In some provinces, although the malaria patients tended to reduce, the malaria parasites increased. The increase of malaria-causing agent (malaria parasites) in malaria-endemic areas was in association with the appearance of malaria main vectors (i.e An.minimus and An.dirus), so the risks of malaria transmission could be at high. Moreover, the malaria situation in Central Vietnam showed unstable, high risks of outbreaks at the end of 2009; especially in 10 consecutive months, malaria indexes increased against the same period of last year.
High malaria morbidity rates were mainly due to imported cases crossing the borders, such as the Vietnamese-Laotian border. Some cases in Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Quang Nam, Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan were reported by working in the forests, sleeping in the field huts, and upon returning from forests they were infected with malaria. Other reasons went to the restructure of the adminstrative units, leading to the disablement of the communal health network such as the reported malaria outbreak in the newly-separated commune of Son Lien, Son Tay district, Quang Ngai province.
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Malaria epidemiological surveillance in severely-hit areas |
Although malaria situation tended to increase compared with that of last year, it was not out of control of localities, which actively conducted intensively control measures (eg. residual insecticidal spraying, additional bednet impregnation, and management of malaria patients) together with malaria epidemiological surveillance in severely-hit areas for timely detection and control.