Malaria downs 36 in 3 Quezon villages

QUEZON, Quezon — Municipal officials have declared a state of calamity after 36 residents of three barangays were found stricken with malaria.

Dr. Yasmine Villanueva, Quezon municipal health officer, said smear tests on the patients found Plasmodium falciparum in their blood, the same malarial strain that killed broadcaster Reyster Langit and two of his crewmembers who contracted it when they did a documentary in Palawan.

Villanueva said the malarial strain targets the brain cells, accompanied by high fever, chills, excessive sweating, paleness and diarrhea, that could result in death when taken for granted.

No deaths have been reported yet since the malaria outbreak in Barangays Mascarina, Montana and Guinhawa last Sept. 7.

"We were able to contain the spread of the disease by conducting massive information dissemination," Villanueva told The STAR.

"The residents here are now aware of the sickness and subject themselves to voluntary blood testing to determine if they are infected and have to be treated as early as possible," she said.

Villanueva said the health officers of the neighboring towns of Alabat and Perez are also monitoring the health situation in their respective areas.

Alabat Island, where malaria broke out, is a small island composed of three municipalities — Quezon, Alabat and Perez.