Malaria on the rise in the UK

New figures released by the Health Protection Agency have revealed that the number of malaria infections among UK residents has increased by 30 per cent over the last two years.

The figures, released on 25 April to mark World Malaria Day, show that the number of cases increased from 1,370 in 2008 to 1,761 in 2010.

The findings have raised concerns about the measures being taken by UK residents travelling abroad to protect themselves from the fatal disease.

There are currently five different anti-malaria drugs available in the UK and residents are advised to seek medical advice before travelling.

Joanne Brazier, a second year student at the University of Edinburgh, caught the disease in 2009 whilst on a gap year in Malawi, despite being given drugs to prevent it. She told The Journal: “Before I went to Malawi I visited the doctor who gave me a supply of doxycycline tablets. I knew that these tablets were not 100 per cent effective, but significantly reduced the chances of catching malaria.

“I knew that there was a high risk of catching malaria in Africa, but was reassured that if the appropriate procedures were taken, it was unlikely that I would catch it. If I felt unwell, I was encouraged to go straight to the doctor because the longer malaria is untreated, the more serious the effects of the disease can be.”

The infection primarily affects Africa, South and Central America, Asia and the Middle East; however over the past ten years almost half the cases reported in the UK have been related to visits to West Africa.

According to the World Health Organisation, more than 750,000 people die as a result of malaria infection each year, with 90 per cent of those deaths in Africa.

The disease is contracted through mosquito bites but cannot be spread from person to person, and is the world’s second biggest killer after tuberculosis.

The United Nations recently revealed that it is taking dramatic measures against malaria and aims to eradicate deaths from the disease by 2015.

Ray Chambers, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for malaria, said on 25 April that “Our goal is to reach close to zero deaths from malaria by 2015, there is much work to be done – many hurdles – but we are optimistic that we can achieve that goal.”