The number of foreigners testing positive for filariasis in Kulhudhuffushi City has reached 25.
Initial cases of filariasis were reported during a health screening camp organized in Kulhudhuffushi for foreign workers on the first and second days of this month to mark World AIDS Day.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that 439 individuals have been screened since the beginning of this month, with 25 testing positive for filariasis. According to HPA, those who tested positive arrived in the Maldives from countries where filariasis is endemic.`
Filariasis, caused by the Culex mosquito that thrives in unsanitary water, is a contagious disease characterized by skin thickening and swelling of the feet. The recent cases raise concerns as filariasis had previously been eradicated in the Maldives.
Kulhudhuffushi Regional Hospital
