[Epidemic situation of malaria in Yunnan Province from 2014 to 2019].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of malaria and implementation of the "1-3-7" approach in malaria elimination in Yunnan Province, so as to provide the data support for the development of post-elimination surveillance interventions.

METHODS

All data pertaining to malaria cases in Yunnan Province from 2014 to 2019 were captured from the Notifiable Disease Reporting System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the changes in the epidemic situation of malaria were analyzed during the 5-year period. In addition, the core indexes regarding the "1-3-7" approach in malaria elimination of Yunnan Province from 2014 to 2019 were retrieved from the Malaria Control System in the Parasitic Disease Information Reporting System, and all changes in the indexes were descriptively analyzed.

RESULTS

During the period from 2014 to 2019, a total of 2 283 malaria cases were reported in Yunnan Province, including 1 927 cases with vivax malaria, 326 cases with plasmodium malaria, 29 cases with other species of malaria, and one case with unidentified species. There were 64 local cases, 2 219 overseas imported cases. Among the 2 283 malaria cases, the male/female ratio was 4.58∶1, and 80.25% of the cases were aged from 15 to 50 years. Farmer (70.00%) was the predominant occupation, and 76.70% (1 751/2 283) of the cases were identified in 25 border counties (districts). Malaria cases were reported in each month during the 5-year period, and the number of malaria cases increased from April, peaked on May to July, and started to decline on August. From 2014 to 2019, the reporting rate of malaria cases within 24 hours upon diagnosis was 100%, and the detection of malaria cases was 99.69% (2 276/ 2 283) in the laboratory, with a 99.65% (2 275/2 283) rate of definite diagnosis. In addition, the percentage of individual epidemiological investigations within 3 days was 100.00% (2 283/2 283), and the number of epidemic foci survey and treatment within 7 days was 576 during the 3-year period from 2017 to 2019. The goal of malaria elimination was achieved in Yunnan Province on June, 2020.

CONCLUSIONS

Malaria has been eliminated in Yunnan Province, and management of overseas imported malaria is the primary challenge to consolidate the malaria elimination achievements in the future. However, the approach in malaria elimination remains to be maintained, and the role of the Yunnan Provincial Malaria Diagnostic Reference Laboratory requires to be strengthened.