Rare Malaria Genus Plasmodium Ovale Reported In Kerala, Found In Soldier Who Came From Sudan

State health minister KK Shailja on Thursday shared the information over her official Twitter account, stating that the new genus of the disease was detected in a soldier hailing from Sudan. The patient was receiving treatment at the District hospital in Kannur.

Kerala: In a concerning issue at the health front in Kerala, a new genus of malaria ‘Plasmodium Ovale’ has been detected in the state, a discovery which has raised an alarm among health experts, particularly at the time when the state is already grappling with rising Covid-19 cases. State health minister KK Shailja on Thursday shared the information over her official Twitter account, stating that the new genus of the disease was detected in a soldier hailing from Sudan. The patient was receiving treatment at the District hospital in Kannur. A timely treatment and early detection can help control the further spread of the disease. "Plasmodium ovale, a new genus of malaria, has been detected in the State. It was found in a soldier who was being treated at the District hospital in Kannur. The soldier had come from Sudan. The spread of the disease can be avoided with timely treatment and preventive measures," she tweeted.

Plasmodium ovale, a new genus of malaria, has been detected in the State. It was found in a soldier who was being treated at the District hospital in Kannur. The soldier had come from Sudan. The spread of the disease can be avoided with timely treatment and preventive measures.

— Shailaja Teacher (@shailajateacher) December 10, 2020

A timely treatment and early detection can help control the further spread of the disease. Notably, the Plasmodium ovale is generally found in Africa. The health minister has said that the spread of the disease can be avoided with timely treatment and preventive measures. Plasmodium ovale is a species of parasitic protozoa that causes tertian malaria in humans. It is one of several species of Plasmodium parasites that infect humans including Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax which are responsible for most malarial infection. It is rare compared to these two parasites, and substantially less dangerous than P. falciparum.