The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has stated that filariasis cases have been reported in Kulhudhuffushi City.
The HPA stated that some foreign workers tested positive for filariasis during the screening campaign conducted in Kulhudhuffushi earlier in December. The infected individuals came from regions where filariasis is already endemic. The Kulhudhuffushi Regional Hospital has conducted further screenings of foreign workers in the city on the recommendation of the HPA. So far, 17 individuals have tested positive for filariasis.
The HPA stated that further tests are being conducted to confirm the presence of the disease and treat those who have tested positive. The HPA is in discussions with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to identify further concerns.
Filariasis is a parasitic infectious disease caused by filarial worms that are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. These parasites mainly affect the lymphatic system and can cause a range of symptoms, including severe swelling of limbs, skin thickening, fever, and pain.
In 1951, a survey conducted with the technical assistance of the WHO, found filariasis in 34 islands in the Maldives. The national effort to control filariasis in the Maldives was launched in 1968 and the disease was eradicated in 2007. The WHO certified the Maldives to have eliminated the disease as a public health problem in 2016.