First malaria alert this year...Infections reported in Paju, Gyeonggi Province (South Korea)

Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, has issued its first malaria alert this year. On the 1st, the province announced that it had issued the alert after a cluster of malaria cases was discovered in Paju city.
This is 12 days later than the first alert was issued on June 19 last year. Malaria alerts are issued when clusters of cases are detected in specific areas after the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues a nationwide warning.
A cluster is when two or more patients in a malaria risk area show symptoms within 14 days and live within a 1km radius of each other.
The case in Paju was the first cluster case since the national alert was issued on the 20th of last month, and the possibility of malaria spreading within the local community was raised, leading Gyeonggi Province to take preemptive measures.
Gyeonggi Province is planning to conduct an in-depth epidemiological investigation focusing on the suspected areas of infection, mosquito habitats, and residential environments of patients.
Malaria alerts are different from mere warnings; they are intended to prevent epidemics within a region.
Therefore, Gyeonggi Province will thoroughly investigate the possibility of infection in areas where cluster cases have occurred, while Paju City plans to focus on eradicating mosquito habitats around patients. In addition, the city will notify the public of the alert situation through media outlets.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's infectious disease portal, the number of malaria cases in South Korea as of the end of last month was
The total number of patients is 192. Of these, 109 are from Gyeonggi Province, accounting for 56.8% of the total, the highest figure nationwide.
Malaria is known as a tropical disease, but in South Korea, cases occur every year mainly in the northern part of Gyeonggi Province.
Clusters of cases in particular are seen as a sign of high risk of infection in communities, and strict mosquito control and personal hygiene measures are urged.
Yoo Young-cheol, director of the Gyeonggi Provincial Health Bureau, said, "In areas at high risk of malaria, we must thoroughly eradicate mosquito vectors and encourage residents to
"If you experience symptoms that may be due to malaria after living or visiting the affected area, please immediately seek medical attention at a nearby health center or medical institution.
Gyeonggi Province will continue to maintain a surveillance system to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, and will continue to carry out quarantine activities in preparation for the possibility of malaria infections, which increases with rising temperatures.
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