Malaria relapse affects 500

Malaria relapse affects 500

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Lack of control in the use of anti- malarial drugs and abatement programs have caused malaria to spread further in Banyumas regency, Central Java, affecting at least 500 people.

Musadad Bikry Noor, chairman of Commission E for people's welfare at the local legislature, said that the disease recurred because many local people did not take the anti-malaria drugs for the full term and the regency health office did not complete the abatement program.

Malaria hit the regency earlier this year, attacking at least 10,000 people and claiming 107 lives. The health office stopped the anti-malaria spraying program after covering only 1,500 houses.

Musadad said that the incomplete medication would make the recurrence of malaria more difficult to handle since the virus in the would now become more resistant to drugs.

Kemranjen, Tambak, Sumpiuh and Somageda are the four districts that have been hit by malaria virus. Musadad said that of 56 people tested, some 40 percent were positive for malaria. --JP