11 Districts in Uttar Pardesh Report 'Deadly' Malaria Strain; Bareilly Worst Affected

Lucknow: Eleven districts in Uttar Pradesh have reported cases of the 'deadly' plasmodium falciparum (PF) malaria this year.

According to data issued by the state's health department, a total of 852 PF cases were detected from January to August this year and of these, the highest were reported from Bareilly (707).

The other 10 districts where PF was detected are Pilibhit, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Bahraich, Kanpur Dehat, Kushinagar, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Lalitpur and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

Officials said that 39,135 cases of the plasmodium vivax (PV), the most widespread and common form of malaria, and 852 cases of PF were reported in Uttar Pradesh from January to August this year.

Out of total 852 persons tested positive with PF, 707 were in Bareilly, 106 in Budaun, 23 in Sonbhadra, five in Shahjahanpur, three each in Pilibhit and Bahraich and one each in Kanpur Dehat, Kushinagar, Mirzapur, Lalitpur and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

The malaria cases drastically increased in the month of September in Bareilly and Badaun.

Joint Director (malaria) Avadhesh Yadav said: "Following an outbreak of malaria last year in Bareilly and Badaun, the cases are on the rise in these two districts but the situation will be controlled by the end of the year. Except Sonebhadra, other districts have reported only a few PF cases.

"Whenever a person is tested positive with PF malaria, the health teams have conducting special activity. At least 50 houses situated in the radius of the residence of the PF patient were sprayed with pyrethrum, a natural insecticide. Besides fogging and larvicidal spraying was also carried out."

The health department has sprayed larvicides in 22 villages, fogged 116 villages and sprayed pyrethrum in 193 villages of Bareilly to contain the breeding of mosquitoes this year till August.

In neighboring Badaun, larvicides have been sprayed in 140 villages, while fogging and spraying with pyrethrum has been done in 125 and 66 villages respectively.

Most of the malaria cases being reported since January, were detected in three blocks of Bareilly and four blocks of Badaun on the Bareilly-Budaun border.