Govt urges extra vigilance, swift treatment as malaria cases rise

Deputy government spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek said the Department of Disease Control reported 835 new cases of the disease in the week to July 7 and urged people who live in forested or border areas to be alert for symptoms of the disease. People who also visit the areas should also be vigilant, Ratchada said.

Symptoms of malaria include fever, chills, headache, intermittent fever, and nausea. They occur within 10-14 days of infection by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes.

The Department of Disease Control reported that there have been 9,255 cases of malaria so far this year: 4,158 Thai and 5,097 foreign nationals. The provinces with the highest number of patients are Tak (5,513), Mae Hong Son (1,026), and Kanchanaburi (945). Three deaths have been reported, all in Tak province.

Doctors and health officials urge people who have symptoms of malaria to get immediate medical…