Dr RVS Bhalla, Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Escorts Hospital Faridabad and Dr Ajay Aggarwal, Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Noida share some essential steps to recognize the early symptoms and ways to tackle malaria:
Early Symptoms:
High fever (up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit) with shaking chills
Profuse sweating when the fever suddenly drops
Fatigue
Headache
Muscle aches
Abdominal discomfort
Nausea, vomiting
Feeling faint while standing or sitting up quickly
Confusion, drowsiness, seizure, coma
Low blood sugar
Jaundice
Decreased urine or Coca Cola coloured urine
Diagnosis:
Blood tests can be conducted to affirm:
Levels of red blood cells
Platelets
Ability of your blood to clot
Blood chemistry
Liver function
Kidney function
People at a higher risk of contracting Malaria:
Infants (children under 5 years of age)
Pregnant women
Patients with HIV/AIDS
Non-immune migrants
Mobile populations
Populations who reside in tropical humid environments
People who reside in unhygienic conditions i.e. near stale dirty water bodies
Prevention:
Use of mosquito coils
Mosquito repellents sprayed on skin
Screening windows and doors
Mosquito proof bed nets
Closed windows during late evenings and early mornings
Wearing protective clothing, such as long sleeve shirts
Avoiding dark coloured clothes
Using Insecticide-treated mosquito nets
Indoor residual spraying