MATARAM, INDONESIA: A malaria outbreak has infected at least 137 people in Indonesia’s West Lombok after the island was rocked by a series of earthquakes in recent months, an official said on Sunday. As a result the number of malaria cases is twice as high as in the same period last year, prompting the West Lombok government to declare a health emergency. Among the 137 infected are babies and pregnant women. The government has taken steps to prevent the disease from spreading such as taking blood samples, distributing mosquito nets and fogging. The head of West Lombok regency, Fauzan Halid, told AFP they only have 3,000 mosquito nets but need about 10,000.

Source: Manila Times September 16, 2018 07:18 UTC