The eastern Thai province of Trat has reported 11 malaria patients, 9 from Koh Chang and 2 from the Bor Rai district. The type of malaria found in the residents is the parasite plasmodium knowlesi. The disease was first detected in the local monkey population and then transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. Blood from random monkeys on Koh Chang has been tested in efforts to control the spread of the disease.
According to the report, the officers had tested the monkeys’ blood to locate the source of malaria 2 months ago, when the 9 cases were reported. However, the officers found a different type of disease called Plasmodium falciparum, a more deadly strain of Malaria that hadn’t been detected in humans in the area before.
Yesterday, officers from the Koh Chang Livestock Office and Mu Ko Chang National Park collected blood from monkeys again, both wild and street ‘soi’…
