According to the statistic of IMPE-Quy Nhon, in the first 5 months of 2011, malaria situation of Central Vietnam continued to decrease, but risk of malaria outbreaks can happen in areas with no malaria patients detected in many consecutive years such as Binh Thanh commune, Tuy Phong distrcit, Binh Thuan province.
Malaria situation of Central Vietnam in May 2011 against the same prriod of 2010
Malaria morbidity
Malaria morbidity in the whole region, as compared with the same period of 2010, decreased by 50.38% (849/1711), with the West Highlands 36.89% lower, the central coastal area 56.82% down. In this month, 14/15 provinces had decreased rate of malaria morbidity, including highly malaria-endemic areas and the West Highlands. However, the malaria outbreaks have occured at an unexpected area-Binh Thanh commune (Tuy Phong district, Binh Thuan province) where no malaria patients were recorded in 5 consecutive years.
Malaria parasites
Malaria parasites in the whole region, as compared with the same period of 2010, decreased by 55.83%, with the central coastal area 55.32% lower and the West Highlands 45.31% down. Rate of malaria parasites continued to decrease in 11 provinces of Central Vietnam, except 4 provinces with increased rate of malaria parasites, including Binh Thuan (+21.43%), Quang Ngai (+54.55%), Binh Dinh (+18.75%) and Quang Tri (+25%).
Severe and complicated malaria
There were 4 cases, with the Central Coastal area 2 and the West Highlands 2.
Malaria death
There was no malaria death, decreasing by 100% compared with the same period of 2010.
Malaria situation of Central Vietnam in first 5 months of 2011 against the same period of 2010
Malaria morbidity
The whole region reported a 28.65% (4,218/3,056) higher in the number of malaria cases including the West Highlands 24.26% lower, the Central coastal area 31.77% down.
11/15 provinces with decreased rate of malaria cases included Quang Nam (-58.88%), Quang Ngai (-52.34%), Dak Nong (-45.15%), Dak Lak (-42.76%), Khanh Hoa (-42.15%), Quang Tri (-36.72%), Phu Yen (-33.02%), Kon Tum (-29.14%), Binh Dinh (-5.52%), Quang Binh (-5.49%) and Thua Thien Hue (-4.62%).
4/15 provinces with increased rate of malaria patients included Binh Thuan (50.48%), Da Nang (40%), Gia Lai (14.72%) and Ninh Thuan (0.23%).
Malaria parasites
The malaria parasite rates in the whole region, as compared with the same period of 2010, decreased by 29.36%, with the Central Coastal area 34.65% lower and the West Highlands 22.22%.
7/15 provinces with increased rates of malaria parasites included Da Nang (160%), Thua Thien-Hue (100%), Quang Binh (49.09%), Gia Lai (46.15%), Quang Ngai (25%), Ninh Thuan (12.78%), Binh Dinh (11.86%) and Binh Thuan (3.57%)
8/15 provinces with decreased rates of malaria parasites included Quang Nam (-78.63%), Dak Lak (-55.26%), Dak Nong (-47.43%), Quang Tri (-38.75%), Kon Tum (-26.42%), Khanh Hoa (-21.34%) and Phu Yen (-19.44%).
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Stagnant water at drain pit near residential area in Binh Thanh commune,
Tuy Phong distrcit, Binh Thuan province. |
Severe and complicated malaria
The whole region had 32 severe malaria cases, increasing by 23.08% compared with the same period of 2010, including the Central Coastal area 33.33% higher and the West Highlands 20% up. The provinces having severe and complicated cases included Gia Lai 11, Dak Lak 8, Dak Nong 4, Ninh Thuan 2, Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, Binh Thuan, Kon Tum one case each.
Malaria death
There were 3 deaths from malaria, decreasing by 50% compared with the same period of 2010, with the Central coastal area 1 case and the West Highland 2 cases.
Conclusions
Through the statistic of first 5 months of 2011, malaria situation of Central Vietnam continued to decrease in severely-hit areas of the West Highlands and mountainous districts, but increase in central coastal areas (Binh Thanh commune) where malaria cases hadn't recorded in previous years; cases of severe and complicated malaria and deaths were higher than the same period of last year and mainly happened in mobilised people. These indexes showed that the mobilised people were not controlled closely and the decrease of malaria indices were unstable.
The period of last 6 months of 2011 is the peak of malaria transmission season and also rainy season, facilitating the development of malaria parasites; therefore, if health services don't have suitable control measures, the risk of malaria outbreaks can happen widely.
In malaria control campaign 2011, the province of Central Vietnam has strengthened epidemiological surveillance in severely-hit and non-severely hit areas; enhanced the quality of indoor insecticide spraying, bednet impregnation with insecticides, detected and treated patients at grassroots level to decrease malaria mortality; strengthened health communication and education for mobilised people (people working in the forest, sleeping in the field huts and crossing the borders) with self-protection measures when going to malaria-endemic areas.