The Khanh Hoa Provincial Department of Health announced 123 malaria cases in the first five months of the year. Specifically, Khanh Vinh District alone recorded 114 cases, including dozens of severe cases. Nearly 80 percent of the cases are men, and about 25 percent are children aged 5 to 15. Notably, most of the cases are people who go to the forest to collect forest products and sleep in the jungle. Moreover, nearly 10 cases of malaria have been recorded among forest rangers, who are on duty in the forest all year round.
In 2024, despite the implementation of preventative measures, the number of malaria cases has still increased, even though it is not the malaria season.
Through epidemiological investigations, 12 out of 14 communes and towns in Khanh Vinh District have had malaria cases. In particular, nearly all cases in Khanh Phu and Khanh Dong communes are caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum while most of the cases in Khanh Thuong commune are related to the parasite Plasmodium malariae.
According to Mr. Ton That Toan, Deputy Director of the provincial Center for Disease Control, except for the cases in Khanh Vinh district, the 9 other malaria cases in the province have been basically controlled and have not created new sources of infection. All 9 of these cases are related to the cases in Khanh Vinh District. In his opinion, the resurgence of malaria mosquitoes, the fluctuating migrant population, and changes in the structure of malaria strains are the culprits of the increase in malaria cases in recent times.
