The Ministry of Health yesterday reported that there have been no new case of malaria for four weeks.

However Dr. Sheila Campbell-Forrester, chief medical officer of health, said communities should not become complacent as this does not mean that malaria has been eradicated.

"We continue to do vector control operation because we have to maintain our surveillance and looking for new cases and make sure that nobody is having fever," Dr. Campbell-Forrester told The Gleaner yesterday.

On December 1 last year, the Health Ministry reported four cases of malaria in the areas of Trench Town, Delacree Park, Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town. The number has since climbed to more than 300, a majority of which were treated.

More funds

Meanwhile, ESSO Standard Oil S.A. Limited has donated just over $1 million to the Pan American Health & Education Fund to assist with the fight against malaria in Jamaica.

"We are proud to be a part of this significant community and social project for the people of Jamaica," Phillip Calder, lead country manager for ESSO, said last week at the handing over ceremony, held at ESSO's corporate office in New Kingston.

Meanwhile Dr. Eva Lewis-Fuller, director of health promotion and protection in the Ministry of Health, said the number of cases of gastro-enteritis has been trending down and there is nothing to be alarmed about.

The Ministry of Health reported that there was a moderate increase in the number of gastro-enteritis cases in June.

However, Dr. Lewis-Fuller said when the data was analysed recently it showed that the cases were in the normal range.