By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
According to the updated report of the Ministry of
Health, 17 cases of malaria have been confirmed. The
infected people are foreign immigrants living in the
communities of Pocosol, Cutris, and Los Chiles, in San Carlos*. On Wednesday, 17
cases had been confirmed, however, one of the
patients already overcame the disease.
According to the specialists, "in the country, the
area considered the malarial area is below 600
meters above sea level, which is equivalent to 70
percent of the country." Specialists are touring the
northern zone with the goal of identifying active
foci in the transmission of malaria.
"From the Ministry of Health we continue to promote
timely diagnosis and immediate treatment as the main
strategy for controlling this disease," said Dr.
Rodrigo Marín, representative of the Ministry.
Ministry statistics show that from 2016 to 2018
there were 146 cases of malaria. Of these cases, 86
were classified as people who entered the country
with the virus.
Social security technicians, as a preventive
measure, have distributed mosquito nets so that
people can install them in the windows of their
homes. They are sprayed with insecticide in areas
where the cases have been detected and technicians
locate the people who have had contact with them.
Another risk factor is the illegal gold miners enter
the country, mostly from Nicaragua, thus increasing
the risk of spreading the disease in Costa Rica.
"Nicaragua has had epidemics in the last year
reaching up to 10,000 cases," said Minister Salas.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine says that
malaria is a serious disease caused by a parasite. A
person gets it when an infected mosquito bites them.
Malaria is a major cause of death worldwide. The
disease is mostly a problem in developing countries
with warm climates. There are four different types
of malaria caused by four related parasites. The
most deadly type occurs in sub-Saharan Africa.
Malarial symptoms include chills, flu-like symptoms,
fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice. A blood
test can diagnose it. It can be life-threatening.
The type of drug depends on which kind of malaria
the person may have and where the person was
infected.
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Have
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*Link to reach the place map.
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