• Most malaria cases in the capital are reported from people, who travel from malaria- zones and are already infected
• Repellent, bed-nets, long-sleeved shirts, insecticide and fumigation recommended
Image: FILE
Swarms of annoying mosquitos are buzzing about, sucking blood and worrying Nairobians. But experts say there's no cause for alarm.
The chances of contracting malaria from the parasites are minimal; the chance of being diagnosed with malaria in Nairobi is about one per cent.
The biggest problem, however, is that they are a nuisance.
Most malaria cases in the capital are reported from people, who travel from malaria-endemic zones and are already infected when they arrive.
Dr John Chumo, secretary of the National Environmental Complaints Committee, confirmed that mosquitoes are increasing countrywide.
He attributed this to the high temperatures in the last three weeks, especially in Nairobi. And so mosquitoes are anxious to get inside cool areas, like your home.
Chumo said this is an indication of 20 years of climate change.
The best thing to do is lessen the effects by increasing the forest cover, reducing the use of fossil fuels, taking care of wetlands and managing water flows.
“I urge the Nairobi government and the Department of Public Health to step in and control the parasites through fumigation,” Chumo told the Star on the phone.
Dr Damaris Matoke-Muhia, a senior research scientist at the Kenya Medical Research Institute, said the mosquitoes do not carry the malaria parasites But she said research is necessary to screen these mosquitoes and determine what infections they might carry, their vectorial capacity.
Global warming and climatic change could affect disease trends, especially those of vector-borne diseases like malaria.
Dr Andrew Suleh, a healthcare practitioner, tweeted that the population of mosquitoes in Nairobi might pose a serious health risk. He said the matter should be prioritised.
Prof Dary Koech, an immunology expert, tweeted, “I have witnessed a surge of mosquitoes all over the city of Nairobi and in other parts of the country. Where is the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases of the Ministry of Health?”
“Homes have become battlefields between mosquitoes and the occupants. Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuku, urgent action is needed,” Koech tweeted.
Waqo Ejersa, the head of the National Malaria Control Programme, said Nairobi remains a low-risk malaria area. It is the female Anopheles mosquito that transmits malaria. The insects in Nairobi are the Culex mosquitoes, he said.
Ejersa urged Kenyans to sleep under nets, use mosquito repellants, wear long-sleeved clothes when going out at night, spray insecticide inside the home.
Muhia said the prevalence of malaria in Nairobi is low and this can mainly be attributed to people travelling from malaria-endemic zones to the city, bringing in what we call ‘imported malaria’.
“Vehicles and aircraft may also bring in infected mosquitoes into the city,” Muhia said.
He said it's necessary to control mosquitos by using WHO-recommended control tools such as treated nets and indoor residual spraying. Fumigation can be done to include all other mosquitoes, such as Culicines and Aedes, he said.