CHITWAN: Fifteen people were diagnosed with malaria among 3,415 individuals tested at various health facilities in Chitwan during the last fiscal year.
According to Ram KC, Kit Controller at the Public Health Office, all 15 people who tested positive had returned from foreign employment.
Malaria is transmitted through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. Common symptoms include persistent or recurring fever, severe headache, vomiting, chills, shivering and sweating as the fever subsides.
In the fiscal year 2024/25, 11 malaria cases were detected among 8,405 people tested. Similarly, 10 cases were recorded among 8,860 people tested in fiscal year 2023/24.
Two main types of malaria parasites are found in Nepal: Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. The P. vivax parasite is more prevalent, accounting for around 70 to 80 percent of cases, while P. falciparum accounts for 15 to 20 percent. According to KC, P. falciparum infections are more commonly found among Nepalis returning from abroad and can affect the nervous system.
KC stressed the need to maintain cleanliness in homes and communities, cover potential mosquito-breeding sites and use mosquito nets while sleeping to reduce the risk of malaria transmission.
