Public Health

Malaria cases have continued to plummet, with an 85 per cent drop in deaths from the mosquito-borne blood disease during the first five months of the year, compared to the same period last year, according to figures released yesterday by the National Centre for Malaria (CNM).

Four people died from malaria between January and June, compared with 27 in 2012. During those months in 2012, 31,099 were confirmed to have contracted the illness.This year, there have been 13,706 confirmed cases - a 56 per cent reduction.

The government has set a goal of zero malaria deaths by 2015 and zero cases by 2025.

But though there have been stark improvements, combating drug resistant malaria on the Thai-Cambodian border continues to plague public health officials.

In April, the World Health Organisation launched a $400 million, three-year program aimed at staunching the resistant disease.