[ad_1]
Tests performed by a reference laboratory on samples of two children diagnosed with malaria in Ilhabela, on the north coast of the state of São Paulo, were negative for the disease, said Tuesday the State Department of Health. The cases, confirmed last Thursday by the town hall, concerned a baby of 1 year and 2 months and a child of 4 years.
The initial diagnosis was given by the laboratory of São José dos Campos, according to the city council. At the time, the municipality issued a note indicating that, in both cases, a less severe form of the disease had been identified, transmitted by the protozoan Plasmodium vivax.
According to Dr. Marcos Boulos, Department of State Disease Control Coordinator, when the cases were announced, there was some doubt because of the age of the patients and new examinations were requested. "The transmission of malaria is through vectors (mosquitoes) that remain in closed forest areas, a place where children of this age are not present." The new tests, he said, did not find the agents responsible for the disease. "Apparently, the children had a respiratory disease, but not malaria." Both patients have already left the hospital.
According to the secretary, this does not mean that malaria is not present in the state. "We have cases that usually happen around waterfalls, five or six a year." According to the Secretariat's Epidemiological Surveillance Center (CVE), six cases were recorded until October. Last year, there were 15 cases of the disease.
According to Boulos, yellow fever is the main concern on the north coast. "We had two recent cases there and one of them resulted in death. People traveling to the area who have not yet received the vaccine should be vaccinated at least 10 days before travel.
[ad_2]
Source link
