Malaria-carrying mosquitoes are rare in Antigua
By Kisean Joseph kisean.joseph@antiguaobserver.com Health officials are urging the public not to be alarmed by the confirmation of two imported malaria cases, pointing out that the mosquito species capable of transmitting the disease is the rarest of Antigua’s 16 mosquito species and is almost never encountered by the general public. At a Ministry of Health […]
Black News 
By Kisean Joseph
kisean.joseph@antiguaobserver.com
Health officials are urging the public not to be alarmed by the confirmation of two imported malaria cases, pointing out that the mosquito species capable of transmitting the disease is the rarest of Antigua’s 16 mosquito species and is almost never encountered by the general public.
At a Ministry of Health press conference on Friday, Acting Chief Health Inspector Daryl Spencer said the Anopheles mosquito lives primarily in the wild, confined to areas around ponds, coastal forests, and other wooded environments.
“We have 16 species of mosquitoes in Antigua. Anopheles is the rarest of the 16, and it is sylvatic, meaning it generally lives in the wild. So most Antiguans would never encounter it,” Spencer said.
He said the Anopheles mosquito has been under observation for over two decades, but the Central Board of Health has significantly expanded its monitoring activities in recent weeks following the confirmation of the two imported malaria cases.
“Surveillance is actually an ongoing thing, and we’ve been surveilling for Anopheles mosquitoes for over 25 years. But we have, within recent times, increased our surveillance mechanism where we’ve spread out to the entirety of Antigua and have increased our laboratory capacity, specifically for entomology,” he said.
Spencer said teams have covered the majority of ponds across the island within the past two weeks, treating areas where larvae or adult Anopheles mosquitoes were found, and that the focus is now shifting to public education.
He stressed that personal responsibility remains the most effective line of defence against mosquito-borne disease, and that government surveillance alone cannot eliminate the risk.
“If each individual would do their part, it would allow for the government to divert finances to areas that we really need,” Spencer said. “It is important for you to clean your yard, clean your house, and ensure that your general surroundings are safe, both for you, your children and your neighbours. So if this really is to work, everybody has to work together, the government and every citizen.”
The Ministry is urging residents to eliminate standing water around homes and workplaces, keep drains and gutters clear, use mosquito repellent, ensure window and door screens are in good repair, and seek prompt medical attention if experiencing fever or flu-like symptoms, particularly following international travel.
Both malaria cases confirmed this week involved male travellers arriving from malaria-endemic regions. Neither case involved local transmission.
The Central Board of Health can be reached at 462-2926 for further information and concerns.
