MALARIA – SOUTH AFRICA: (LIMPOPO, MPUMALANGA) KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
The Kruger National Park (KNP) has warned holidaymakers to take measures to avoid mosquito bites. SanParks spokesperson William Mabasa says the large amount of rain received this year
There are pools of water in abundance everywhere and there are more cases (of malaria), especially in the northern part of the park. We would like for visitors to take precautionary measures by taking medication and consulting with their doctors to prevent contracting malaria. KNP is known to be one of the malaria-endemic areas in the country, Mabasa says.
The Limpopo Department of Health recently confirmed that several people have died after contracting malaria. Provincial health department spokesperson Thabiso Teffo says the deaths are calculated at a percentage. Teffo says 1 percent of the total cases reported have resulted in death.
Communicated by: ProMED-mail
There is little doubt that there is an unusual surge of malaria in Southern Africa, including South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.
The latest update from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, NICD, in Pretoria from the 12th May states: “In the Limpopo Province, malaria transmission is ongoing, mainly in Mopani and Vhembe Districts, with some increase in cases in adjacent areas of the northern Kruger National Park. However, the number of new cases of malaria in the province is starting to decline in Mpumalanga Province, a malaria outbreak has been declared in the Bushbuckridge area related to increased numbers of malaria cases.”
The NICD also recommend that: “Residents in and travellers returning from both provinces should seek help from their nearest health facility or doctor if they experience malaria symptoms – fever, chills, sweats, headaches, nausea and vomiting, body aches or yellow discolouration of eyes/skin. The influenza season has not yet commenced in South Africa, so persons should not ignore symptoms or attribute them to influenza.”
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa.
It covers an area of 19,485 square kilometres (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in north-eastern South Africa
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