Sarasota County Officials Investigate New Suspected Malaria Case
SARASOTA COUNTY, Florida (FloridaToday.news) – Sarasota County officials are investigating another suspected case of malaria as the county maintains a mosquito-borne disease alert status.
Sarasota County had six confirmed cases of malaria as of July 17, and officials believe one more case will be confirmed earlier this week, making it the seventh.
According to the Sarasota Health Department, two of the six confirmed cases were in homeless people, and all of the cases occurred in the North Sarasota area.
Over the weekend, sharks bit two surfers on a Florida beach known as the “shark bite capital of the world.”
Officials said they are continuing to focus on areas near the DeSoto Akers and Kensington Park neighborhoods where a new suspect case has been reported.
The authorities said that all those who fell ill were cured and are recovering.
Sarasota officials offered the following tips to help protect residents from mosquito bites:
- Try not to be outside between sunset and sunrise.
- Wear water-repellent and loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and long trousers.
- Drain any standing water in your area.
- Remove aquatic vegetation from ponds, lakes, canals, ditches, and anything that retains water for a long time and has overgrown vegetation.
For more information about mosquito control services, visit the Sarasota County website. You can also request service in your area by calling 311.
