Kristin (00:00):
Calling malaria a medical emergency, the CDC says the cases were hundreds of miles apart, four in Florida and one in Texas. No evidence to suggest they’re related, but what they do have in common is no link to travel abroad. The last time malaria was transmitted locally in the US was 2003. Tonight the CDC says mosquito surveillance and control have been implemented. Malaria isn’t contagious, but the parasite that causes it is transmitted by certain mosquitoes.
Dr. Photini Sinnis (00:31):
Physicians are not going to be thinking about malaria in someone who has not traveled. If the fevers persist and if they can’t find another cause, it should be considered.
Kristin (00:39):
Fever, chills, headaches and fatigue are the most common symptoms. The recent cases were plasmodium vivax, the less severe form. And while the CDC considers the risk of locally transmitted malaria low in the US, it warns of increased danger with the rise in international travel this summer, and many doctors worry climate change could make things worse.
Dr. Photini Sinnis (01:02):
The warm temperatures are important for the mosquito population and will give rise to a larger population.
Kristin (01:10):
Tonight, the CDC urging a plan for rapid access to IV artesunate, the first line treatment for severe malaria and limiting mosquito bites by covering up using repellent and draining standing water, which serves as breeding grounds. The latest patients all reportedly recovering. But tonight, the CDC wanting everyone from physicians to the public to pay attention. Kristin [inaudible 00:01:36] NBC News.