Risk of malaria resurgence is high : Health Ministry

The risk of the resurgence of the malaria disease is high, the Ministry of Health has warned, citing 28 imported malaria cases which have been reported in Sri Lanka this year.

Issuing a statement, the Anti-Malaria Campaign (AMC) arm of the Health Ministry said that the recent cases had been caused by travellers who arrive in the country with the disease.

"...alarmingly five of them are detected within a week among Dambadiva pilgrims returning from India," the statement said noting that Sri Lanka is in the "prevention of re-introduction phase".

The World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2016, certified Sri Lanka as a malaria free country after no indigenous cases were reported since 2012.

In a bid to maintain this standard, the AMC, has been carrying out screening of individuals in high risk areas, and providing preventive medications free-of-charge for individuals who travel to malaria endemic countries.

These medicines could be obtained from the AMC Headquarters at the Health Ministry or the Regional Malaria Offices located in the districts across the country.

Further, the anti-malaria arm advised travellers to avoid outdoor activities at night, wear protective clothing, use a mosquito repellent and to sleep under mosquito nets.

If a traveller develops fever during or after the travel, the AMC strictly advised such individuals to undergo a free medical test at the AMC Headquarters or a Regional Malaria Office.