Malaria deaths increase in Cambodia

The number of deaths caused by malaria in Cambodia increased in the first half of the year, new figures have revealed.

According to the National Centre for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control, there were 103 deaths from malaria in the first six months of 2009.

In addition, 27,105 people from the country were infected with the disease during the period.

An early rainy season has been named as a major factor in this increase, as well as a failure to get mosquito nets distributed quickly enough.

Duong Socheat, director of the National Centre for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control, commented: "This year we had an early rainy season and we were a bit late in distributing mosquito nets to people."

Mr Socheat added that the movement of people from areas of high infection rates to regions where malaria is traditionally less widespread could also have contributed to the higher figures.

In the first half of 2008, 65 people died from malaria in Cambodia, while 25,033 people were infected.

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