Eighty cases of malaria were reported in the Republic of Ireland last year and the State now has the third highest incidence of imported forms of the disease in the EU, according to new data.
The incidence of malaria rose 13 per cent last year and stands at the highest level since 2010, the figures from the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) show.
Only the United Kingdom and Belgium have higher rates of imported malaria.
Most of the cases arose from family visits to a country of origin, with Nigeria accounting for almost half of the cases.
The remaining cases involved exposure in other countries in Africa and South Asia.
Irish citizens
A handful of Irish citizens abroad and members of the Defence Forces reported contracting the disease.
The category of traveller most affected in Ireland continues to be African immigrants and their families, who suffer exposure while returning to visit family in their country of origin.
“This almost certainly reflects the greater frequency with which this group travels to malarious areas, but also reflects Ireland’s importance as a destination for those emigrating from English-speaking West Africa.”
Take precautions
The HPSC says people travelling to visit family in a country of origin in Africa or Asia should take precautions, as should tourists, business travellers and other travellers with little previous exposure to the disease.
“Children can be particularly at risk. It is important that persons born in western and central Africa who take up resident in Ireland and who return to their country of origin with their Irish-born children are made aware of the fact that their children have no innate immunity to malaria, and must complete their full course of advised prophylaxis while taking steps to ensure they avoid mosquito bites.”
The reported cases included 10 children, of whom four were visiting family in their country of origin. Two were new entrants to Ireland and one was an Irish citizen living abroad.
Malaria infects almost 200 million people annually and results in 500,000 to 800,000 deaths annually, according to the World Health Organisation.
Bearing fruit
Efforts to control the spread of the disease are bearing fruit - four countries have been certified free of malaria in the last decade and the WHO says it could be eliminated in a further 35 countries by 2030.
Malaria is caused by a parasite borne by mosquitoes. Symptoms include fever, chills and flu-like illness. Left untreated, patients can develop severe complications which are followed by death.
