Florida malaria cases have officials urging residents to avoid mosquitoes
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Florida Department of Health reported six cases of locally transmitted malaria since the end of May.
Two additional cases were reported for the week of June 25-May 1.
All individuals have been treated and released.
The pesky bite of a mosquito is something you should always avoid if possible according to doctors.
"Avoiding mosquito bites is healthy not only in places where malaria is prevalent but as a good public health measure," shared Dr. Manuel Gordillo.
Avoiding mosquitos helps decrease malaria transmissions.
In Northern Sarasota County, those bites have resulted in six cases. Infected mosquitos have been detected near Desoto Acres and the Kensington area.
All were locally transmitted, meaning no one was infected from outside the state or country.
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"We cannot be trapped in our own preconceptions because you know the fact that all six places have occurred in that area doesn’t mean that one person who has it moves to another area and the next case will be in another place where these cases have not occurred and this may result in transmission to mosquitos in another region," said Dr. Gordillo.
Dr. Manuel Gordillo an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist at Sarasota Memorial Hospital said those most at risk are babies, the elderly and pregnant women.
READ: Sarasota malaria cases prompt statewide health advisory
While there are no active cases reported at the moment, doctors stress getting yourself checked out especially if you have flu-like symptoms including a fever that lingers for days.
"It becomes important to treat the people that are infected, find those cases and treat them because that will also eliminate the outbreak," explained Dr. Gordillo.
At Sarasota County Mosquito Management continues to spray, Dr. Gordillo stresses the importance of detecting and treating every case, as soon as possible.
"There’s several strains of malaria. The vivax malaria is one that can hide in the liver and have no symptoms, and it can reactivate months later, so there could be those dormant cases so to speak will reactivate later. We have to be vigilant for a number of months from here on," said Dr. Gordillo.