Malaria cases to spike this summer: NICD

The National Institute for Communicable Disease (NICD) has warned travellers to various parts of the country and continent to look out for high-risk malaria areas and symptoms of malaria.

The NICD has issued a warning that Malaria cases are expected to increase during the summer months with higher temperatures and rainfall on the continent.

Many people will also be exposed to Malaria as they travel both internally and outside of the country’s borders.

NICD’s Lucille Blumberg has called on the public to take the necessary precautions during this period. She explains the symptoms:

“Usually quite a sudden onset fever is consistent, muscle pain, cold shivers, hot sweats, headache, feeling of really being very tired. It’s a combination of symptoms and what people describe as flu-like illness.  It’s typical and there is no flu at this time of the year in Southern Africa, so it’s malaria. If you’ve been in a malaria area and you do have a fever, any of ht symptoms flu-like illness you must get tested for malaria.”

She adds, “Mosquitoes feed when the sun goes down and you want to prevent mosquito bites. So if you’re going to a malaria transmission area, we’re talking high risk in Mozambique, particularly. But within South Africa low veld Mpumalanga and the northeastern parts of Limpopo, you really need to be aware of the malaria risk and take all the precautions.