Climate change is bringing malaria to new areas. In Africa, it never left
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.
Related articles
Minnesota Uber and Lyft driver pay package beats deadline to win approval in Legislature
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A plan to boost pay for Uber and Lyft drivers in Minnesota that lawmakers bel2024-05-21Global plastic treaty: Negotiations hit critical stage in Canada
Thousands of negotiators and observers representing most of the world’s nations are gathering in the2024-05-21Beyonce goes hell for leather black fringed pantsuit as she poses on an 18
Beyoncé wowed her 319 million Instagram followers on Monday as she shared two new posts.The 42-year-2024-05-21- The golf world will have to wait a little longer to see whether Nelly Korda can make history with a2024-05-21
Liverpool confirms Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp's replacement
Arne Slot will take on one of the most daunting challenges in soccer by replacing Jurgen Klopp as Li2024-05-21North Carolina legislature reconvenes to address budget, vouchers as big elections approach
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina General Assembly begins its annual work session Wednesday wi2024-05-21
atest comment