Aizawl, Apr 12 : The cause of the mysterious death of five people in a remote Thanzamasora hamlet in southern Mizoram last month was not malaria, as had been reported earlier, the state health department said today.
Health officials, during a meeting of Anti Malaria Month Advocacy here, clarified that the cause of the mysterious death was Indian tick typhus, a very rare disease, and not celebral malaria as stated earlier. The officials said that malaria, considered to be the biggest killer disease in Mizoram, has claimed ''only'' two lives during this year.
Dr C Lalthanmawia, director of health services, in his power point presentation on the scenario of malaria in Mizoram, highlighted that of the 17,002 blood samples collected during this year, 805 were found to be malaria positive. Of these, 768 were malaria pf. He said Mizoram has witnessed a fall in the number of malaria-related deaths in 2010 with only 31 people succumbing to the killer disease, as compared to 199 in 2009 and 99 in 2008.
According to the record of State Vector-Borne Diseases Control Programme (SVBDCP) of the 322,929 blood samples tested during last year 15,130 were found to be positive with malaria, of which 14,189 were malaria pf, more deadly than malaria pv. As many as 15,099 malaria patients were cured.
As many as 9399 people were tested positive for malaria, of which 7387 were malaria pf, during the year 2009. Of these 119 people died, the record said.
Among the eight districts of Mizoram, Lunglei district in southern Mizoram topped with 11 malarial deaths in 2010 and Champhai district bordering Myanmar did not have any death due to malaria, the record said.
According to the death investigation report of the health department, most of the malarial deaths happened due to negligence on the parts of the patients that led to delayed treatment.
"In 2009, malaria patients were on an average four days late when they took treatment. In 2010, they were on an average two days late. There was a sign of improvement due to extensive health awareness campaign through the media," officials said.
The health department has set up FTD/ASHA in all towns and villages to help malaria patients get treatment on time.
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