The department confirms three laboratory-confirmed malaria cases from a single household residing on a farm in the Luckhoff district, a non-endemic malaria area.

The cases have been identified and are currently being managed at Mediclinic Bloemfontein. No recent travel to malaria-endemic regions has been reported among the affected family.

At this stage, odyssean malaria, infection from a mosquito inadvertently transported from an endemic area, is suspected, while the possibility of rare local transmission is being investigated.

“The department has activated a comprehensive, clinically guided response to protect the public and prevent any further spread,” said Free State department of health spokesperson Mondli Mvambi.

“Our teams are implementing evidence-based measures, including instituting enhanced surveillance, targeted vector control, prompt diagnosis, and treatment.

“We are working closely with national experts to ensure that all interventions meet the highest clinical and public health standards, and at present, the overall risk to the public remains low.

“Healthcare providers across the Free State and neighbouring areas are advised to maintain a high index of suspicion for malaria in any patient presenting with acute febrile illness, even in the absence of travel to endemic regions.

“Clinicians should manage suspected cases according to national guidelines, initiate treatment without delay, and notify malaria as a Notifiable Medical Condition within 24 hours.”

The department confirmed a man, 53, passed away, and two family members were diagnosed; a woman, 50, and a man, 23, are clinically stable and are receiving treatment, he said.

According to reports, the deceased was Albé Grobbelaar, a respected farmer from the Luckhoff district. He, his wife, Sorita, and their son Louis all inexplicably contracted malaria.

Members of the public who experience fever, chills, headache, body aches, nausea, or unusual fatigue should seek medical care promptly, urges Mvambi. Residents are encouraged to reduce the risk of mosquito bites by using appropriate repellents, wearing long-sleeved shirts and trousers from dusk to dawn, and removing standing water around their homes.

Symptoms of malaria. Photo: up.ac.za

The department asks communities to cooperate with health teams working in the area. The Free State remains a non-endemic malaria province, and the overall risk to the general public is currently assessed as low.

The department promised to provide further updates as the investigation progresses, and additional information becomes available.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame cvs

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