Vietnam sees increased incidences of malaria

Hanoi, May 15 (VNA) – Malaria hospitalisations are on the rise nationwide, particularly in the south, revealed the General Department of Preventative Medicine under the Ministry of Health on May 14. There are four major types of the virus in Vietnam and one can suffer from more than one type simultaneously, the department stated. Immigration, poor sanitation and the habit of storing water in tanks across the country, especially rural areas, has long created favourable conditions for malaria, medical establishments said. The Ho Chi Minh City Centre for Preventative Medicine reported 3,855 cases of malaria in May, a significant increase from last year. As the rainy season quickly approaches, the city faces the risk of a malaria outbreak. According to the World Health Organisation, 390 million people are infected with the disease each year, including 500,000 severe cases requiring hospitalisation. Scientists are still seeking vaccines and curative medicines. This year, the disease outbreaks have been increasingly spotted in such countries as Singapore, Japan and Malaysia.