Don't be alarmed...but do get the facts...about 'malaria'

Malaria, Dominican Republic: Recent Developments

www.CDC.gov latest website update: from February 23 2005...in case you missed it!

(QUOTE BEGINS)"As of February 18, 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received reports of 21 cases of malaria in travelers to resort areas of the Dominican Republic. Plasmodium falciparum malaria has been confirmed in 5 patients from the United States, 6 from Canada, and 10 from European countries, all of whom had recently traveled to areas of the Dominican Republic where malaria had not previously been reported. All returned home between November 3, 2004 and January 10, 2005...

CDC continues to recommend that all travelers to La Altagracia Province, including the Punta Cana resort area, should take an antimalarial drug (prophylaxis). In addition, an antimalarial drug is recommended for travelers to rural areas throughout the country. Chloroquine is the recommended drug for the Dominican Republic. Antimalarial drugs taken correctly and consistently, along with other measures to prevent mosquito bites, have been shown to be effective in preventing malaria. Therefore, CDC does not discourage travel to malaria-endemic countries.

However, CDC has rescinded recommendations for malaria prophylaxis for Duarte Province because no new cases have been reported from the area in the last 2 months, the epidemiologic investigation by the Ministry of Health of the Dominican Republic did not reveal any new cases, and their surveillance system did not detect any cases of malaria in the province in recent years..."(QUOTE ENDS) [source:www.CDC.gov/public]

For more information about malaria...

What is it?

How do you 'catch' it?

What precautions can you take to avoid getting it?

Take a look here now for: more about malaria - and keep your family safe on holiday

AS 17/03/05

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