One or two malaria deaths a year in Belgium

While death due to malaria is rare in Belgium, there are still one or two cases a year, writes VRT News. There are between 300 and 350 cases of malaria recorded annually in Belgium. Most cases are easy to treat, but malaria can be fatal, warns doctor Erika Vlieghe of the Institute for Tropical Medicine in Antwerp.

Het Laatste Nieuws yesterday reported that a 55-year-old Brussels Airlines stewardess has died from the effects of malaria. It is believed that she was infected by a mosquito after a flight to Cameroon. In late July last year, a 64-year-old Belgian man died from cerebral malaria contracted during a stay in Malawi.

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by malaria parasites (Plasmodium) that enter the blood stream through a mosquito bite.

Most Belgian victims contract the disease while visiting countries in Africa and, to a lesser extent, Asia. "Globally, we see a decline in the number of deaths," says Vlieghe, who urges travellers to consult a doctor immediately should they experience any fever or flu symptoms within three months of returning from a tropical climate.

There is no vaccine for malaria, but there are drugs to prevent the infection.