six malaria cases have been reported in the first three months of the year, according to a report by the Information Center of the Ministry of Health. There were 61 malaria cases in 2008 across the Kingdom, the report showed. The report indicated that there has been a noticeable decline in the number of cases according to the transmission of the infection in the region. The decline is basically attributed to the efficient disease detection system which helped cut the infection rate in 2008 to 0.46 cases for each 100,000 people. Regarding the methods taken to control the disease, the report explained that the ministry has added the Geographic Information System to its Disease Detection System to identify the causes of malaria and mosquitoes in different regions in addition to conducting training courses for the staff working in disease control, sending patrols to the borders, increasing health awareness programs and detecting and treating malaria cases as early as possible. The report pointed out that the disease was dangerous and caused death especially to children below five years of age and to pregnant women.
