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SALT LAKE CITY — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced five cases of malaria in the United States on Tuesday, but what does this mean for Utaans?
The CDC said there were four cases in Florida and the first in Texas. 20 years of parasitism I entered the United States.
Out of thousands of mosquitoes, only three species carry malaria, said Michele Lewein of the Salt Lake City Reduction District. This species lives in Utah. However, she said the number was not very high.
“The anopheles mosquitoes that live here and are locally collected do not carry malaria, so malaria is not prevalent in wild populations,” Levine said.
Mitigation district experts said Utahians are unlikely to catch malaria because of the habitat of infected mosquitoes.
“Infected mosquitoes would have to travel very long distances to reach Utah, which is not the case,” Levine explained.
But what if a Utahman traveled to a malaria-endemic area? There’s a risk, says Greg White, assistant director of the Salt Lake City Mitigation District.
“Malaria is fairly prevalent in the tropics around the world, occurring in Africa, Asia and South America,” White said.
🦟 Currently, the CDC is tracking 5 malaria cases in the US, 4 in Florida and 1 in Texas. But will it be able to reach Utah? It is possible. I spoke to an expert about how Utah people could be infected.
my story @KSL5TV At six o’clock. pic.twitter.com/YIpdv0uwpy— Shelby Lofton (@newswithShelby) June 28, 2023
White said that would be the main risk for Utahans traveling to any of these places.
“Before you go there, they will prescribe the right medicines you need to take to prevent or stop infections like malaria,” he said.
But the fact that there are still cases in the United States after all these years remains a concern, White said. “Malaria was a big problem in the United States from the time it was founded until it was eradicated in the 1950s, and it’s still a big problem in Africa.”
The district does not test for malaria, but it does have methods to track malaria habitats.
Two Utah scientists are currently working to reduce malaria in Mali, Africa. This is the first time SLC’s mosquito control technology has been put into practice there.
tonight @KSL5TV You can hear about their efforts @ 6:30. pic.twitter.com/s1MU4mToo4
— Erin Cox (@erincoxnews) June 21, 2023
“We can pinpoint exactly when any kind of precaution is needed,” Levine said. “No need to panic.”
“I don’t think malaria is going to be a problem here in Utah,” White added.
Regarding mosquitoes in 2023, the district announced that there will be more nuisance calls this year than last year. They report a slight deterioration in mosquito numbers and urge everyone to remove standing water to keep mosquitoes away.
