Climate change is bringing malaria to new areas. In Africa, it never left
Time:2024-05-08 23:00:53 Source:styleViews(143)
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — When a small number of cases of locally transmitted malaria were found in the United States last year, it was a reminder that climate change is reviving or migrating the threat of some diseases. But across the African continent malaria has never left, killing or sickening millions of people.
Take Funmilayo Kotun, a 66-year-old resident of Makoko, an informal neighborhood in Nigeria’s Lagos city. Its ponds of dirty water provide favorable breeding conditions for malaria-spreading mosquitoes. Kotun can’t afford insecticide-treated bed nets that cost between $7 and $21 each, much less antimalarial medications or treatment.
For World Malaria Day on Thursday, here is what you need to know about the situation in Africa:
MALARIA IS STILL WIDESPREAD
The malaria parasite mostly spreads to people via infected mosquitoes and can cause symptoms including fever, headaches and chills. It mostly affects children under 5 and pregnant women. Vaccine efforts are still in early stages: Cameroon this year became the first country to routinely give children a new malaria vaccine, which is only about 30% effective and doesn’t stop transmission. A second vaccine was recently approved.
Previous:Anya Taylor
You may also like
- An Italian governor accused in a corruption probe has been placed under house arrest
- Xiplomacy: Science, Technology Cooperation Helps China, LatAm Build Better Future for Mankind
- Shanghai to Athens airline route set to launch in April
- (CIIE) Xi Focus: Xi Sends Letter to Sixth CIIE, Pledges High
- The Olympic torch is being welcomed in French port city of Marseille with fanfare and high security
- Xiaomi SU7 heats up EV segment
- Painting exhibition featuring China's natural beauty kicks off in Egypt's Opera House
- Beijing looks to boost green technology development
- 1st Chinese tour group lands in New Zealand in 3 years