Oman reported zero indigenous malaria cases in 2014: WHO

4/27/2016 4:50:06 PM

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat-

Oman is among the 13 countries that reported zero indigenous malaria cases in 2014. Since 2007 the sultanate has battled small outbreaks of the disease related to imported cases which in 2014 reported 986 imported cases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates malaria incidence (the rate of new malaria cases) globally fell by 37 per cent between 2000 and 2015.

According to the latest WHO report 'Eliminating Malaria' published on April 25 (World Malaria Day) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region Saudi Arabia and Iran continue to report a downward trend in indigenous malaria cases. 'Saudi Arabia shares a border with highly endemic areas of Yemen' said Dr Pedro Alonso director of Global Malaria Programme at WHO.

'Through intensive malaria control and cross-border cooperation Saudi Arabia reduced its locally transmitted malaria cases from a peak of 36000 in 1998 to just 51 in 2014. Iran reported 376 cases of malaria in 2014 down from 21000 in 1998.'

Alonso stated that four countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region Oman Egypt Iraq and Syria eliminated malaria in the past years and have since been working to prevent reintroduction of the disease. 'In 2014 13 countries reported zero indigenous cases of malaria and they were Oman Argentina Azerbaijan Costa Rica Georgia Iraq Kyrgyzstan Paraguay Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan Turkey and Uzbekistan' he said.

However he pointed out that two factors determine the risk of re-establishment of malaria. They are 'The number of malaria cases imported into a malaria-free area known as 'vulnerability' and the risk in a malaria-free area of local mosquitoes becoming infected with malaria parasites and subsequently transmitting the infection to humans known as 'receptivity'' Alonso added.

He explained if the vulnerability rate is high but receptivity is low there will be little risk of re-establishment of malaria.

'This is the case in Europe the US and Canada where thousands of imported cases of malaria arrive each year but where local mosquitoes only rarely become infected and transmit the infection.'

Where both vulnerability and receptivity are high the risk of re-establishment is also high. 'That is the case in countries like Oman and Sri Lanka which have previously had high transmission of malaria and are subject to the arrival of a large number of individuals infected with malaria' said Alonso. He emphasised that in these settings imported cases must be detected rapidly to prevent onward transmission of malaria to the local community.

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.