U.S. CDC warns of malaria risks after cases detected in two states

LOS ANGELES, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued alerts for malaria outbreaks after identification of locally acquired malaria cases in two U.S. states.

Four locally acquired malaria cases have been found in Florida and one in Texas within the last 2 months, according to the CDC alerts issued on Monday.

The CDC expressed concern for a potential rise in imported malaria cases associated with increased international travel in the summer of 2023.

The agency called for plan for rapid access to IV artesunate, which is the first-line treatment for severe malaria in the United States.

Locally acquired mosquito-borne malaria has not occurred in the United States since 2003 when eight cases were identified in Florida, according to the CDC.

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. People with malaria often experience fever, chills, and flu-like illness. Left untreated, they may develop severe complications and die.

About 2,000 cases of malaria are diagnosed in the United States each year, and the vast majority of cases are in travelers and immigrants returning from countries where malaria transmission occurs, many from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, according to the CDC.