A Ukrainian man who found refuge in Moldova died of tropical malaria. According to the National Agency for Public Health, the man was a sailor from Odessa who had spent several months in West Africa before coming to Moldova. He hadn’t undergone any specific antimalaria treatment while on his African mission, it was reported.
On July 12, the man developed the first symptoms, including headache, fever, sore throat and fatigue. Four days later, his condition worsened and he was hospitalized for “community-acquired pneumonia”. Four days later still, he was finally diagnosed with tropical malaria, but it was too late, as he died on the same day.
Over 2019-2021, Moldova recorded seven cases of malaria, all of them imported.
The Agency advises those traveling to malaria-endemic areas to get prophylactic treatment.