Aug 18, 08:18 PM

New Jersey Probes First Potential Local Malaria Case Since 1991

New Jersey health officials are investigating a malaria infection in a Morris County resident who has not traveled outside the United States, raising the prospect of the state’s first locally acquired case in 34 years. The New Jersey Department of Health said it is working with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm the diagnosis and trace the source of the infection. Although Anopheles mosquito species capable of transmitting malaria are present in New Jersey, the department emphasized that the overall risk of local transmission remains low. The state typically records about 100 travel-related malaria cases each year. Officials are urging residents to eliminate standing water, use insect repellent and seek prompt medical care if they develop fever after possible mosquito exposure. The inquiry follows a similar investigation announced earlier this month in Washington state, where a Tacoma-area resident with no travel history was diagnosed with malaria on August 2. If confirmed, that case would be Washington’s first known locally acquired malaria infection. Health authorities in both states believe transmission most likely occurred when a mosquito bit an infected traveler and subsequently infected another person.

#New Jersey #Morris County #United States #Department of Environmental Protection #Washington #Tacoma

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New Jersey Probes First Potential Local Malaria Case Since 1991

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