Negros Oriental: Health authorities in Negros Oriental are rigorously monitoring the arrival of individuals from areas where malaria is prevalent to avert a potential re-introduction of the disease, an official reported.

According to Philippines News Agency, Noel Ferrero, Sanitation Inspector IV of the Provincial Health Office (PHO), stated during a "Kapihan sa PIA" forum that despite Negros Oriental's status as malaria-free, the presence of the Anopheles mosquito, which carries the disease, has been identified in certain areas of the province.

Ferrero emphasized that the movement of people into and out of Negros Oriental could potentially lead to the reintroduction of malaria to the province. Malaria testing is being conducted on deep-sea fishermen leaving or returning to the province, as well as on foreigners and individuals arriving from African countries where malaria is endemic.

The Department of Health declared Negros Oriental malaria-free in 2012, and no local cases of the mosquito-borne disease have been reported since. Ferrero noted that if an individual arrives in the province exhibiting malaria symptoms, there is a risk of infecting the Anopheles mosquito, which could then transmit the disease locally.

Prior to the malaria-free declaration, cases were reported in areas such as Basay, Bayawan, Sta. Catalina, Siaton, Sibulan, San Jose, Amlan, Tanjay, Pamplona, and Mabinay. Recent mosquito vector mapping conducted by the PHO detected the presence of the Anopheles genus in Sibulan, Amlan, Mabinay, and Tanjay.

Eradicating the Anopheles mosquitoes poses a challenge, as they are typically found in rural areas, unlike the dengue-carrying mosquitoes prevalent in urban settings. Ferrero affirmed that monitoring efforts would persist as the Philippines aims to achieve a malaria-free status by 2030.