The fourth phase of the Malaria Mukt Bastar drive is on in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division and will end on July 31.
In the initial four days, the Health Department has visited nearly 31,000 households. Meanwhile, more than 1.28 lakh people were tested for malaria and 1,066 were found positive. Their treatment was started immediately.
The campaign is being expanded to 21 districts, an official statement said on Sunday.
The first three phases yielded significant results.
Compared to May 2020, the number of malaria cases in May 2021 declined by 39 percent. In May last year, 2,298 cases were recorded whereas in May this year only 1,404 cases were found.
Compared to last year, the number of cases this year has decreased by 84 percent in Kanker district, 82 percent in Kondagaon district, 37 percent in Bastar district, 22 percent in Dantewada district and 21 percent in Sukma district.
The Annual Parasite Incidence (API) felly from 26.78 in 2016 to 8.57 in 2020.
Asymptomatic malaria often becomes the cause for anaemia and malnutrition as well. During the campaign, both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were provided medical treatment.