How India Is Dealing With Malaria | HuffPost

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Two third of malaria cases in South-East Asia occur in India. According to the World Health Organization, in 2011, 2.15-million parasitologically confirmed malaria cases were reported, with three countries accounting for 95 per cent of confirmed cases: India, Myanmar and Indonesia.

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Two third of malaria cases in South-East Asia occur in India. According to the World Health Organization, in 2011, 2.15-million parasitologically confirmed malaria cases were reported, with three countries accounting for 95 per cent of confirmed cases: India (61 per cent), Myanmar (22 per cent) and Indonesia (12 per cent). Both cases and deaths are substantially underreported but these proportions are indicative of the geographical distribution of malaria in the region.

The substantial underreporting could prove to be an enormous problem when it comes to India's progress in eradicating malaria. One study published in the Lancet, a British medical journal, estimates that over 205,000 deaths occur in India due to malaria. The WHO estimates India has around 15,000 malaria related deaths. This enormous discrepancy is a result of substantial underreporting and a large rural population who do not have access to medical treatment or diagnoses. Thus, many deaths occur at home, far out of reach from any malaria reporting facility.

According to the WHO, India is on route to lower its malaria cases by over 50 per cent, moving it toward the "pre-elimination phase" by 2015. However, the underreporting could have drastic effects on this estimate as well as the global urgency with which we treat this problem. Increased reporting of malaria deaths could drastically change the strategies that are used to prevent malaria outbreaks in rural areas.

Natural Ways To Prevent Mosquito Bites

Avoid Dusk And Dawn(01 of13)

The evening and early morning hours are peak biting times for many mosquito species, according to the CDC, so consider ramping up your protection or staying inside at these times if you can.

But, Conlon warns, other species bite during the day, too. "Whenever you're present, you're on the menu," he says.

Flickr photo by ActiveSteve (credit:Flickr: ActiveSteve)

Eat Garlic(02 of13)

Garlic has long been rumored to ward off mosquitoes, but there isn't much research to back up the claims. However, garlic does have some healthy benefits, thanks to the powerful antioxidant allicin that gives it its smell and flavor. Adding a little extra garlic to your summer diet certainly won't hurt!

Pure garlic oil, on the other hand, when rubbed on the skin will repel mosquitos -- for around 20 minutes -- but it will probably repel everyone around you as well, jokes Conlon.

There is one ingestible to avoid, however. The New York Times reports that alcohol is just about the only food or beverage proven to have a true effect on mosquitos, and the bad news is it attracts them. A small 2002 study showed that more mosquitoes landed on beer drinkers than tee-totalers.

Flickr photo by lowjumpingfrog (credit:Flickr: lowjumpingfrog)

Avoid Scented Shampoos, Soaps And Perfumes(03 of13)

This one is mostly rumor, says Conlon. When they're not feasting on humans, mosquitos obtain some nourishment from plants, so the thinking goes that if you smell like a pretty flower, a bug might mistake you for one, but it's never been proven, he says. (credit:Alamy)

Citronella(04 of13)

A small study from 2002 found that citronella-based repellents keep bugs away for about 20 minutes or less.

While the plant-based oil is thought to smell bad to mosquitoes, it's not highly unpleasant to humans, so if you feel like it works, there's no reason to stop using it, says Conlon, but there may be a bit of a placebo effect going on, he says.

The same study found that other plant-based repellents, like geranium oil, didn't provide lasting protection either. However, protection from soybean-oil-based repellents lasted about 90 minutes.

Flickr photo by Keith Williamson (credit:Flickr: Keith Williamson)

Burn A Candle(05 of13)

Whether you light citronella candles or decorative patio torches, smoke will keep mosquitos at bay, says Conlon.

Flickr photo by TedsBlog (credit:Flickr: TedsBlog)

Cover Up(06 of13)

The CDC recommends wearing long sleeves, pants, hats and closed-toed shoes instead of sandals to cover exposed skin. In the dead of summer, this might not always be appropriate, but if you have to be outside during dusk or dawn, when temperatures are likely to be cooler, long sleeves may be more practical.

"Any exposed skin is 'fair game,'" says Conlon. (credit:Alamy)

B Vitamins(07 of13)

According to the Mayo Clinic, taking a daily dose of 75 to 150 milligrams of vitamin B-1 (thiamin) could slightly change your scent in a way that might keep mosquitoes away, but the research isn't conclusive.

Flickr photo by seanmichaelragan (credit:Flickr: seanmichaelragan)

Eliminate Standing Water(08 of13)

Any pools or puddles around your home or yard can quickly become mosquito breeding ground. The Mayo Clinic recommends unclogging roof gutters, emptying any kids' pools, changing the water in any bird baths weekly, making sure rain is not accumulating in trash can lids and storing flower pots or any other unused containers upside down, among other tips you can see here.

Flickr photo by elias_daniel (credit:Flickr: elias_daniel)

Stay Close To The Fan(09 of13)

"Mosquitoes are bad fliers," Dave Shetlar, an Ohio State University professor of urban landscape entomology told Cleveland.com. Perch yourself near ceiling fans on patios, porches or open-air restaurants that have them.

Flickr photo by JMacPherson (credit:Flickr: JMacPherson)

Ditch The Bug Zapper(10 of13)

These electronic gadgets will wind up killing bigger bugs, like moths, rather than mosquitoes, says Conlon.

In fact, an entomology professor from the University of Delaware published a study in 1996 showing that out of nearly 14,000 insects killed by six zappers in one summer, only 31 were biting fliers, Popular Mechanics reported. Another 2,000 were beneficial bugs that keep real pests at bay, and the others were harmless species.

Plus, mosquitoes are attracted to dim light, so they may fly toward the zapper initially, but they'll likely turn away from the thing when they get too close, according to Cleveland.com.

Flickr photo by hfb (credit:Flickr: hfb)

Lemon Eucalyptus Oil(11 of13)

The CDC, Consumer Reports and other outlets recommend this "very good repellent" Conlon says, which, at 40 percent concentration will ward off mosquitoes and ticks.

However, it isn't recommended for children under 3, according to Consumer Reports. Conlon explains that isn't necessarily because of toxicity, however. "I think they probably haven't taken the time to get the [EPA] registration," he says, a timely and costly process, when children under 3 can be protected in other ways, like dressing them appropriately, he says.

Flickr photo by fairfaxcounty (credit:Flickr: fairfaxcounty)

Catnip Oil(12 of13)

According to a 2001 study, this natural repellent is 10 times more effective than DEET. Since then, scientists have been studying its repellency, and Dow Chemical is in the process of getting EPA registration for a new catnip-based product, says Conlon. Of course, every consumer will have to weigh the cost and the benefits, he jokes. You'll repel mosquitoes wearing the stuff, but you're likely to attract cats!

Flickr photo by cygnus921 (credit:Flickr: cygnus921)

IR3535(13 of13)

This cryptically-named repellent, most well-known as the active ingredient in Avon Skin So Soft, is characterized by the EPA as a "biopesticide repellent," meaning it is in fact derived from natural materials. However, the same 2002 study found this compound protects against mosquitoes for only about 23 minutes.

Photo from Amazon.com (credit:Amazon.com)

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