According to WHO (World Health Organization), "
- The WHO African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2015, the region was home to 90% of malaria cases and 92% of malaria deaths."
Malaria is spread through plasmodium parasites. Female mosquitoes are malaria vectors, meaning they carry the disease with them and spread it into a host whom they bite. There are 5 different kinds of these parasites. Most malaria outbreaks and deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Epidemics usually occur during and after rainy seasons (WHO). Now that we know how and where, what are the symptoms?
The symptoms of Malaria are fever, headache, and chills after 10-15 days of being bitten. These symptoms are often mistaken for the flu or a cold, so if it isn't diagnosed and treated within 24 hours, chances of survival are lower and the likelihood of death increases. Children suffer the most because their symptoms tend to be worse such as anemia and respiratory difficulties. However, some people are immune to malaria and are unaffected when bitten.
Efforts to reduce malaria cases, many organizations and people such as Stephen Curry, make an effort to increase the number of mosquito nets distributed to the people who are at most risk of getting malaria. There is also indoor spraying in houses that are at risk of mosquito invasions. There are anti-malarial drugs to prevent being bitten. There is also a long political debate about the use of insecticides, but that is a debate to be shared another time. However, recently, BBC wrote an article about a new malaria breath test that seems to be promising. It is guessed that people with malaria have a certain breath odor and when they blow into this machine, if the odor is present, then those people are either at a greater risk of malaria or have malaria.
