Malaria kills more than 440 000 in Africa-WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines malaria as a “life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes”. WHO states on their website even though malaria is a preventable and curable disease, malaria is one of the six major causes of death from communicable diseases globally, and 90% of the world’s approximate 440 000 annual malaria deaths occur in Africa.

“Usually, people get malaria by being bitten by an infective female Anopheles mosquito. Only Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit malaria and they must have been infected through a previous blood meal taken from an infected person.” When a mosquito bites an infected person, a small amount of blood is taken in which contains microscopic malaria parasites. About one week later, when the mosquito takes its next blood meal, these parasites mix with the mosquito’s saliva and are injected into the person being bitten.

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“Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow colouring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. If not promptly treated, the infection can become severe and may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death.”

To protect yourself from mosquito bites, you should: – Cover your skin, wear pants and long-sleeved shirts. Tuck in your shirt and tuck your pant legs into socks. – Apply insect repellent to the skin. Use an insect repellent registered with the Environmental Protection Agency on any exposed skin. Apply repellent to clothing. Sprays containing permethrin are safe to apply to clothing. – Sleep under a net treated with permethrin.