World Malaria Day 2023: Check Malaria, Symptoms, Causes, Risk factors, Prevention, Vaccine, and Countries free from Malaria

World Malaria Day 2023:  According to the WHO, cases of malaria were estimated at 241 million across the world in 2020, and estimated deaths stood at 627,000 in 2020. Also, in 2020, the WHO African Region was home to 95% of cases of malaria and 96% of malaria deaths. In the region, children under 5 accounted for about 80% of all malaria deaths. 

World Malaria Day is observed on April 25 across the world to raise awareness to control and eradicate malaria. It is a preventable and treatable disease. This year's theme is "Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement". According to World Health Organisation, the main focus will be on the third 'i', implementation to reach the marginalised section.

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India with the help of various Govt strategic interventions & innovative solutions has taken giant strides towards its target of eliminating Malaria by 2030.

On this #WorldMalariaDay, let's pledge to strengthen our fight for Malaria Mukt Bharat. pic.twitter.com/MR4XHvlmwV

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) April 25, 2023

Today is #WorldMalariaDay.#Malaria is transmitted through the bites of Anopheles mosquitoes 🦟. Nearly half of the world's population is at risk of malaria.

Here are 4 things you need to know about malaria ⬇️

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) April 25, 2023

READ| World Malaria Day 2023: Know Theme, History, Significance, and Key Facts Here

What is Malaria and how is it caused?

According to the WHO, it is an acute febrile illness. It is caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. 

Five species of parasites cause malaria in humans, and of those, two species, namely P. falciparum and P. vivax, pose the greatest threat. The deadliest malarial parasite is P. falciparum, which is the most prevalent on the African continent. The dominant malaria parasite in most countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa is P. Vivax.

So we can say that malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. If it is left untreated, it may develop severe complications and die. As per the CDC, about 2000 cases of malaria are diagnosed in the United States each year. 

What are the Symptoms of Malaria?

- Chills

- Fever

- Headache

- Feeling of discomfort generally

- Nausea and Vomiting

- Diarrohea

- Abdominal Pain

- Muscle or joint pain

- Fatigue

- Rapid breathing

- Rapid heart rate

-Cough

It is also said that some people who have malaria experience cycles of malaria "attacks". An attack usually begins with shivering and chills, followed by a high fever, sweating, and then a return to normal temperature. The signs and symptoms of malaria begin within a few weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Also, some types of malaria parasites can lie dormant in the bodies of humans for up to a year.

What are the risk factors?

For developing malaria, the greatest risk factor is living in or visiting areas where the disease is common. These are tropical and subtropical regions of the

-South and Southeast Asia

- Sub-Saharan Africa

- Central America and northern South America

- Pacific Islands, etc.

Furthermore, the level of risk is determined by local malaria control, seasonal changes in malaria rates, and the precautions that people take to avoid mosquito bites.

People at high risk of the disease are young children, older adults, pregnant women and their unborn children, and travellers coming from areas with no malaria.

World Malaria Day 2023: Prevention

Certain measures are listed below to avoid mosquito bites:

- Cover skin, by wearing pants, long-sleeved shirts, etc.

- Apply insect repellent to the skin. It should be registered with the Environment Protection Agency on any exposed skin.

- Also, apply repellent to clothing.

- Use bed nets or sleep under a net.

WHO recommends the broad use of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine among children living in regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission since October 2021. The medicine showed a significant reduction in cases of malaria and deadly severe malaria among children.

World Malaria Day 2023: Messages, Slogans, WhatsApp & Facebook Status, Quotes & More

World Malaria Day 2023: List of countries and territories certified malaria-free by WHO

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Those countries that have achieved at least 3 consecutive years of zero indigenous cases are eligible to apply for a WHO certification of malaria-free status.

Therefore, 40 countries and territories were granted malaria-free certification by WHO. The latest country that was declared malaria-free by the WHO is China. Other recent countries that joined the malaria-free club are El Salvador (2021), Argentina (2019), Paraguay (2018), and Uzbekistan (2018). So far, in India, none of the states has been able to completely eliminate malaria.

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