Maps of the Sri Lanka malaria situation preceding the tsunami and key aspects to be considered in the emergency phase and beyond
Briët, O.J.T.; Galappaththy, G.N.L.; Konradsen, F.; Amerasinghe, P.H.; Amerasinghe, F.P.
Malaria Journal 4: 8
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 1475-2875 PMID: 15676073 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-4-8Document Number: 557253
Monthly records over the period January 1995 to October 2004 of confirmed malaria cases were used to perform an analysis of malaria distribution at district spatial resolution. Also, a focused review of published reports and routinely collected information was performed. The country-wide malaria incidence increased from January 1996 to January 2000, with the typical seasonality of high peaks around January and lower peaks around June-July. The findings showed that the recent decrease in the overall malaria incidence in the country is predominantly due to a decrease in incidence in the districts of Vavuniya and Kilinochchi in the north. The decrease was least in the district of Ampara, making it the most malarious district during January to October 2004. Although districts on the east coast which were badly affected by the tsunami had been relatively malarious in 2004 as compared to the rest of the country, the maximum of around 1 case per 1000 people over a 10-month period in these districts is remarkably low. In conclusion, although relocated people may be more exposed to mosquito bites, and their capacity to handle diseases affected, the environmental changes caused by the tsunami are unlikely to enhance breeding of the principal vector, and, given the present low parasite reservoir, the likelihood of a malaria outbreak is low.