by Gigi Dumallig

TABUK,Kalinga (2 October) -- Health personnel recently conducted information education campaign (IEC), blood smearing and treatment at Sitio Cadao, Barangay Babalag West in Rizal town following reports of an upsurge in malaria cases in the area.

According Provincial Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (PESU) Officer Jose Pardito Jr., a number of patients from Rizal were confined at the Kalinga Provincial Hospital (PHO) due to malaria last September 6.

During the case finding done in the area, health personnel discovered that out of the 75 smear conducted,15 were positive of the 'Plasmodium Falciparum' type of malaria. Ages of those infected ranges from 6 months to 15 years old, Pardito said.

Through a larval survey, the Cadao Creek, which is very near the households was found out to be a breeding place of anopheles mosquito larvae or the malaria carrying mosquitoes.

Pardito reported that the increasing number of said mosquitoes coupled with the fact that people are not using any personal protection and insecticide impregnated bed nets caused the sudden increase of malaria cases in Sitio Cadao.

He explained that said mosquito is an indoor and outdoor biter but prefers to rest outdoors and feeds on humans and animals. Peak time of biting is between 10 o'clock in the evening to 2 o'clock in the morning.

The larvae are usually found along shaded areas of clear slow flowing streams and occasionally along irrigation ditches, rivers, rice fields, polls and wells.

Elimination of larvae could be done through biological methods, meaning through the introduction larvaviuors fish that feed on mosquito larvae and through environmental methods by cleaning streams. Health personnel are also encouraging the use of mosquito nets impregnated with chemicals and house spraying.