Six locally acquired malaria cases reported in Sarasota - NBC2 News

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SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — The dog days of summer mean mosquitoes are out and ready to bite. Two new locally acquired malaria cases have been reported this week.

“We live in paradise but living in paradise in this subtropical environment we have to be aware that there are mosquitoes here that can make us sick,” said Eric Jackson, spokesperson for Lee County Mosquito Control District.

According to the Florida Health and Florida Arbovirus Surveillance, the two new cases were reported between June 25 and July 1.

On June 19, The FDOH (DOH-Sarasota and DOH-Manatee) issued a mosquito-borne illness alert for Sarasota and Manatee counties after reporting two malaria cases. As of July 6, a total of six cases have been reported.

What makes it even more frightening? All of them were locally acquired.

A map shared by FDOH shows that there are two cases of malaria. However, a second map shows that there are 6 cases and that three malaria-positive mosquitos were located between Manatee and Sarasota County.

CREDITS: FDOH

“This is the largest outbreak we have seen since about 2003,” said Dr. Iahn Gonsenhauser with Lee Health.

Dr. Gonsenhauser said although an outbreak like this is rare in the United States, mosquitos kill more people than other animals.

Scientists at Lee County Mosquito Control District are trapping, testing, and treating disease-carrying mosquitoes.

“These mosquitoes are taken from traps and those traps may have different species of mosquitoes and insects,” said scientist, Milton Sterling.

Lee County Mosquito Control collects mosquitoes from traps spread out across the district and separates them

When they find the species that could carry harmful diseases like malaria, crews target the specific area that the mosquito was trapped in.

“The anopheles mosquito that is capable of spreading the malaria parasite,” said Jackson.

So what are the symptoms of malaria?

“What they are looking for are general fatigue- kinda feeling like you do when you have a bad flu, that hit by a truck feeling ,” said Dr. Gonsenhauser.

Malaria is treatable with medication, so if you are feeling any fever symptoms call your doctors as soon as possible.

According to the CDC, Most malaria cases in the United States are imported by travelers from countries where malaria is endemic. However, locally acquired mosquito-transmitted malaria cases can occur, as Anopheles mosquito vectors exist throughout the United States. In 2003 there were 8 cases of locally acquired P. vivax malaria identified in Palm Beach County, FL.

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