Local Malaria Case Detected in Maryland Resident: Health Department

A Maryland resident in the D.C. area has been diagnosed with malaria despite not having recently traveled abroad or to states where malaria is prevalent. This "locally acquired" case is the first in Maryland in over 40 years. Health officials are taking the case seriously and will investigate. The patient may have contracted malaria from a mosquito that previously bit someone who had traveled. Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite, was originally eliminated from the U.S. in the early 2000s but is still treated by doctors due to travelers returning with the parasite. The risk of acquiring mosquito-transmitted malaria remains low, but precautions such as using insect repellent and wearing protective clothing are recommended.