The Health Protection Agency announced a nationwide filariasis screening campaign starting 16 February, targeting locals and migrants on all inhabited islands, tourist resorts and industrial islands. The disease, declared eradicated by the WHO in 2016, reemerged in December 2023 with 32 cases confirmed among migrant workers, while no new cases have been detected since 24 December 2023.
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The first case was detected on 14 December.
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The campaign, slated to begin on 16 February, is a collaborative initiative involving the Maldivian Red Crescent (MDP), local councils, and healthcare centres across the country.
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Individuals over the age of 18 will be screened using blood tests and antigen kits, which will yield results within 10-15 minutes, the agency said.
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Screening teams will visit selected households between 4 and 9 p.m. on 16 February, according to the agency, where migrant workers will be screened through their employers.
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Despite extensive screenings of over 778 individuals, including 567 migrant workers and 211 locals, no new filariasis cases have been detected since 24 December 2023.
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However, the disease reemerged in the Maldives in December last year after nearly two decades.
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