Gyeonggi Province Issues Third Malaria Alert for Goyang City This Year
Gyeonggi Province issued the third malaria alert for Goyang City on the 21st, following Paju and Gimpo.
The malaria alert is issued to prevent community transmission when the first cluster case occurs following a nationwide malaria caution advisory, or when the average daily population of vector mosquitoes in the same city or county exceeds 5.0 for two consecutive weeks.
This alert comes after the first cluster case occurred in Goyang City following the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's nationwide malaria caution advisory issued on June 22. A cluster case refers to a situation where the symptom onset interval between two or more patients is within 14 days and their residential locations are within 1 kilometer of each other in a malaria risk area.
In Gyeonggi Province, the first malaria alert of this year was issued for Paju City on July 9, and the second alert was issued for Gimpo City on August 3.
The province plans to conduct in-depth epidemiological investigations to identify the estimated infection areas of cluster case patients, mosquito habitats in those areas, environmental conditions surrounding residential areas, co-exposed individuals, and risk factors.
For Goyang City, intensive public awareness campaigns through local medical and pharmaceutical associations, emergency text messages, and media coverage will inform residents and visitors about the possibility of infection. Additionally, concentrated mosquito control measures in areas surrounding patients and mosquito breeding sites, rapid diagnostic testing for early detection, and provision of preventive medication will be actively implemented in response to the alert.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's Infectious Disease Portal (dportal.kdca.go.kr), a total of 269 malaria cases have been reported nationwide as of August 21 this year. Gyeonggi Province accounts for 148 cases, representing approximately 55% of the national total.
Yoo Young-chul, head of the Gyeonggi Province Health and Wellness Bureau, stated, "In malaria risk areas, vector mosquito control measures must be strengthened and residents must adhere to preventive guidelines to avoid mosquito bites," and urged, "Residents and visitors in risk areas should receive prompt testing at nearby health centers and medical institutions if they develop suspected malaria symptoms."