With 708 cases of malaria reported last year, incidence of the disease is on the rise in Qatar, according to data released by the Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) yesterday. The cases are very few and declining among Qataris while they are on the rise among expatriates. Only two cases among Qataris were reported last year and the remaining 706 cases were found among expatriates. The number of people affected by malaria in the country jumped from 216 in 2008 to 708 in 2012. A total of 673 cases were reported in 2011 and all those affected were expatriates. The number of deaths caused by malaria does not exceed one a year. The figures were released on the eve of World Malaria Day which is being observed today. Malaria, if not cured, may threaten the life of the patient as it blocks the process that provides vital organs with blood. The data indicates a rise in incidence of this disease in males with an average rate of 93.5 percent of the cases over the period (2008-2012). The age group of 20 to 29 years recorded the most malaria cases — 47 percent. In 2010, 3.3 billion people, almost half of the world population, faced the risk of malaria, according to the World Health Organisation. As a result, every year sees the occurrence of about 216 million cases of the disease which cause nearly 6.5 million deaths. Source : Qatar Chronicle

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