New genus of malaria detected in Kerala, announces Kerala Health Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 10: Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja on Friday announced a new genus of malaria, Plasmodium ovale, has been detected in the state.

"Plasmodium ovale, a new genus of malaria, has been detected in the State. It was found in a soldier who was being treated at the District hospital in Kannur. The soldier had come from Sudan," the minister tweeted. "The spread of the disease can be avoided with timely treatment and preventive measures," she added.

The soldier was being treated at the district hospital in Kannur.

India reported its first confirmed case of the coronavirus in Thrissur district of Kerala when a student, who was studying in Wuhan University, China and had returned to India.

Also in 2018, a Nipah virus disease (NiV) outbreak was reported from Kozhikode district.