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Source of malaria infection in Taitung County discovered

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed yesterday that a 57-year-old man in Taitung diagnosed with malaria contracted the disease from his nephew who had worked in the Solomon Islands.

"The nephew contracted the disease while abroad, and when he returned in June he still had the symptoms," said Shih Wen-yi (施文儀), deputy director-general of the CDC. "Although he kept taking medication on and off, he never completely recovered."

It is the first case of locally transmitted malaria in the country in 38 years. Both men are receiving treatment in Taitung Mackay Memorial Hospital.

The center said that the man lived near his nephew, who had worked in the Solomons as a logger.

Shih said that the disease was spread through a mosquito which bit the nephew.

"We have sent people to conduct epidemic investigations in the area, and so far we have not found anyone else with malaria," Shih said.

Center investigators caught 23 Anopheles minimus, the mosquito that spreads malaria, outside the patient's house. But lab examinations showed that none carried the disease.

In other health news, Singapore officials confirmed yesterday that a local patient has tested positive for SARS.

Ministry of Health spokeswoman Bey Mui Leng said initial tests of a local man "proved positive for the SARS virus."

"We are repeating the test again tonight," Bey said.
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