2024-01-27 21:45:58
Malaria is spreading to the Guyanese coast. While the disease is generally detected in the interior of the territory, cases have been recorded in Matoury and Macouria in recent weeks. In November and December 2023, the number of patients exploded in the territory.
During the last week of December 2023, 30 cases of malaria (also called malaria) were reported in Guyana. As many were recorded for the first week of January 2024, i.e. around sixty cases in just two weeks.
Over the whole of last year (2023), 342 cases of malaria were diagnosed in Guyana. A clear increase was observed in November and December. It was during this short period that 67% of annual cases were recorded.
For comparison, 51 cases of malaria were recorded in 2022 in Guyana.
Several outbreaks have been detected in the area. It is necessary to differentiate between the place of contamination and the place of residence of the patient, underlines Professor Francky Mubenga, head of health monitoring at the ARS. The presumed location of contamination is particularly important. According to the data collected at the end of the year, the outbreaks observed were located at:
- Saint-Georges de l’Oyapock
- Regina
- Roura, notably in the village of Cacao
- Matoury (especially in Stoupan and in the village of Sainte-Rose de Lima)
- Montsinery
- Macouria
“Each time there have been cases, particularly outbreaks, control action has been deployed. Certain actions are scheduled for the beginning of 2024“, announces the professor.
Francky Mubenga reminds us of the right actions to adopt:
Protect yourself well from mosquitoes by using repellents, mosquito nets, wearing long clothing, and eliminating stagnant water. When you are sick and you are asked to protect yourself from mosquitoes, do so because you are protecting yourself and your loved ones.
Indeed, “the mosquito, when it walks around, it bites the person who is sick, in the infectious phase, and bites other people who are healthy and continues to contaminate other people“, explains the professor.
The Guyana Regional Health Agency is currently reviewing the risk mapping with stakeholders in the field. The last update dates from October 2023 and the high risks were mainly located in the interior of the territory.
The latest malaria risk map in Guyana • ©ARS Guyane
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