Malaria cases are drastically shooting up in Uttar Pradesh districts, stated a report. According to reports, 11 districts in Uttar Pradesh have reported an increasing number of cases of the deadly Plasmodium Falciparum (PF) malaria this year. A total of 852 PF Malaria cases have been reported from January to August this year. Reports suggested that the highest number of cases have been reported in Bareilly district, followed by Badun district of Uttar Pradesh. Further, according to officials, 39,135 cases of plasmodium vivax (PV) which is the most common form of malaria and 852 cases of PF have been reported. 

Increasing cases 

As per the reports by a news agency, a total number of 852 persons have been tested positive with Malaria. Out of these, 707 were reported in Bareilly, 106 in Budan, 23 in Sonbhadra, five in Shahjahanpur, three each in Pilibhit and Bahraich, and one each in Kanpur Dehat, Kushinagar, Mirzapur, Lalitpur and Gautam Buddh Nagar of the Uttar Pradesh district. The report further stated that the cases of Malaria have drastically increased in Bareilly and Badun in September. According to the Joint Director (Malaria), Avadhesh Yadav, Malaria had an outbreak in Bareilly and Badun districts last year. Following that, the cases are on a high rise. Except for the two districts, leaving aside Sonebhadra, all the other districts have reported only a few cases of the deadly virus. 

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Preventive steps 

According to Yadav, whenever a person is tested positive with PF malaria, the health teams have conducted a special activity. Around 50 houses situated in the radius of the residence of the Malaria patients were sprayed with pyrethrum, a natural insecticide. Besides fogging and larvicidal spraying was also carried out. As per the reports, in Bareilly, the health department has sprayed larvicides (insecticide used to kill mosquitoes) in over 20 villages. Further, 116 villages have been fogged and pyrethrum has been sprayed in around 193 villages to control the breeding of mosquitoes till August. In Badun, 140 villages have been sprayed with larvicides. 125 villages have been fogged and 66 villages have been sprayed with pyrethrum, stated the report. In another report, Yadav stated that the ASHA workers and Auxillary Nurse Midwives (ANM) are visiting patients affected by Malaria in Bareilly district to ensure proper treatment.

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