Malaria still around DOH.

(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MALARIA, THE OLD mosquito-borne disease many thought had been eradicated, is still around. In fact, it haunts around 11 million Filipinos in 66 of 79 provinces in the country.

Dr. Mario Baquilod, chief of the Department of Healths division for infectious diseases, told reporters yesterday the disease remained endemic in 760 of 1,600 towns and in 9,345 of 42,979 barangays.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the government had been scoring minor victories against malaria, especially in 2001 when cases were reduced by 60 percent, from 89,047 in 1990 to 34,787.

But cases began increasing again in …